Shropshire Star

Shropshire flooding: MP calls on Government to make more money available for flood defences

A Shropshire MP has called on the Government to make more money available for flood defences as the county suffered its worst flooding in 18 years.

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Daniel Kawczynski in Shrewsbury town centre

Daniel Kawczynski also called for the recall of Parliament to discuss the crisis as he went on a walkabout around Shrewsbury town centre to see the damage caused by the torrential downpours.

Daniel Kawczynski and Mark Barrow in Shrewsbury town centre

He accompanied Shropshire Council's executive director of place Mark Barrow on a tour of the worst affected places in the town.

Standing on the bridge over the River Severn at Frankwell, he likened the scene to the aftermath of a nuclear explosion.

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Mr Barrow said the area had suffered three 'once in every 50 years' events in the past 20 years, and said there may need to be a rethink on the approach to flood defences.

He said the council had not yet assessed the cost of the clean-up after the flooding, but it could run into millions of pounds. The council will be responsible for funding the first £460,000, and after that it will be reimbursed by central Government.

Mr Kawczynski visited Chester Street, which was under water, and where dozens of elderly people were evacuated from a sheltered housing complex. The nearby United Reformed Church had been put on standby to operate as an emergency shelter, but was not needed.

He then went to Roushill, which had also been shut due to flooding, and Frankwell where a parked van had been partially submerged.

Daniel Kawczynski and Mark Barrow in Shrewsbury town centre

A total of 24 roads around the town were affected by closure orders.

Mr Kawczynski said he would be strongly lobbying the Government for extra money to both pay for better flood defences and also to compensate businesses affected by the flooding.

"If we can afford £106 million for HS2, then I think we can afford to funding for Defra (Department for Food and Rural Affairs) for more flood alleviation schemes," he said.

He added that he was a regular customer of Lunts chemist in Roushill, and was concerned about the closure of the business would have on people with urgent prescriptions.

Daniel Kawczynski and Mark Barrow in Shrewsbury town centre

"We need much more funding for the business community," he said.

"We have a new Environment Secretary, George Eustice, and I will be pushing for extra funding in the budget."

Mr Kawczynski, whose own home was affected by the floods, said he was unhappy that Parliament was in recess.

"We should be in the Commons, holding ministers to account," he said.

Mr Kawczynski said he had been approached by a group of farmers on the Welsh border who had offered to use their land as an overflow for the River Severn.

He said now Britain had left the EU it would be free to offer subsidies to farmers who wanted to help in that way.

He has written to Mr Eustice asking for a meeting to discuss these plans, which he said could protected 117,000 households, 5,000 businesses and 12,500 acres of public land.

Mr Kawczynski praised the efforts of the council and Environment Agency staff. He said their hard work had minimised the impact of the flood.

Mr Barrow said there were 200 council staff deployed around the county.

He said flooding in Shrewsbury peaked at 3.45am yesterday, when it was at levels close to those seen in 2002.

"We have had three 'once in 50 years' events in 20 years, and the kind of models we are using are not up to date with what is going on with climate change," he said.

"All our efforts now are going into recovery, in getting things back to normal as quickly as possible."