We’ve already heard about Tim Farron’s tussle with Storm Desmond. Thankfully all was well, but for many in the area, Desmond’s effects will last for a long time to come as they struggle with flooded homes and ruined property.
Tim Farron has, as you would expect, been helping constituents deal with the storm’s aftermath and has written to David Cameron to ask him to ensure that funds are made available for the clear-up operation.
He said:
It is heartbreaking to see the impact of flooding once more on local people. My thoughts are with all those whose homes and businesses have been flooded, and who have been forced to evacuate.
There is now a major task ahead of us in terms of repairing the damage caused by these floods, and I am calling on the government to support us in this and make additional funds available.
My thanks go to all the staff and volunteers from the emergency services, local authorities and voluntary organisations, for the hard work they have put in to try to minimise the impact of the floods. Electricity NW also deserve credit for their efforts trying to restore power to those affected by power cuts. My thanks also go to rail staff who worked hard to deal with disruption to the network and assist passengers.
The full text of his letter is below:
Dear David,
I am writing to you on behalf of my constituents from across South Lakeland, who have been hit very badly by the extreme flooding which we have faced in the last few days.
In South Lakeland, many residents have had to evacuate their homes in order to escape the floods, whilst business premises have also been adversely affected. Similarly, much local infrastructure has been severely impacted, with local residents facing power blackouts for significant periods, and much of the local road network now in need of major repair.
I was pleased to see in the recent Spending Review that the government remains committed to the idea of the Northern Powerhouse. However, that rhetoric must now be backed up by action – it is essential that areas in Cumbria which have been hit by flooding are now given the resources they need to rebuild. Indeed, whilst I support the government’s plans for greater infrastructure spending in the North of England, the reality is that very significant sums will be required in areas like South Lakeland simply to restore pre-existing infrastructure to its prior levels.
It is therefore essential that the government respond to this crisis in a fair and forward-thinking way, by making available the funds needed to repair the damage which the extreme flooding has caused in South Lakeland.
I look forward to hearing your response.
Yours sincerely,
TIM FARRON MP
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10 Comments
As it happens the last big flood in Appleby-in-Westmorland was in 2009…..six months before the Coalition Government took office.
Appleby is in Rory Stuart’s constituency even though it used to be the county town of the old county of Westmorland.
I have just returned home after a 350 mile round trip to rescue my 90 year old father-in-law from Appleby. I have a relative helping to co-ordinate the emergency services…… I know what they – and the local people – think.
Cumbria County Council has been hammered time and time again by Government austerity cuts. The time for action was over five years ago after the last lot. Those in this party who merrily want to ‘downsize’ the share of GDP from Government spending ought to come and see the misery and heartache caused by Government inaction before we have any more from them about the ‘overmighty’ state.
I am afraid that the resilience of county and unitary councils, that are now the designated flood authorities, will be severely tested if these kinds of weather events become more common. If the government is really serious about gradually phasing out the block grant, expecting locally controlled business rates to pick up the slack by 2020 it will be very difficult, if not in some more vulnerable areas, impossible to maintain even the status quo.
My county, Lincolnshire, which is viewed as a beacon council in how it deals with flood prevention, possesses around 40% of the best arable land in the UK, most of which is by the coast. If the sea is allowed by breach defences this land, if flooded, could be out of action for up to eight years. So where will our nation’s vegetables come from and at what extra cost?
John : ” So where will our nation’s vegetables come from and at what extra cost?”
If you remember, Spitting Images had a thought on that one…………………… I’d develop that by suggesting the Tory back benches.
I remember the sketch well. Waiter to Mrs T; “And the vegetables?” Reply; “They’ll have the same”. Seriously, David, we’d have to import them, wouldn’t we?
Given the cuts suffered by councils, police and fire services, it’s all the more important that people heed the emergency services’ advice and DON’T set off for a drive through a flood zone with a car full of kids. The police have enough to do as it is.
Looking long term there is no doubt that there needs to be a Government-run insurance agency that can and will insure all dwellings across the country. Given climate change the scenes in Cumbria and elsewhere will occur more often.
The agency should insure all dwellings and compete with current insurers on non-flood risk properties.
Only by insuring millions of properties can the Government-run insurance agency be viable.
The Tories with their friends in the City will not implement such a scheme.
There is just such a scheme (well similar) about to be formally launched – http://www.floodre.co.uk/
Thanks, Hywel – am pleased the first steps are being taken.
Storm Desmond followed by floods in some parts of UK- Scotland- Northern Ireland in December 2015 is yet another instance to prove accuracy as also usefulness in the monumental predictions of this Vedic astrology writer in article – “Stressful times ahead for world economy in 2015 and 2016” – published in online magazine ( blog) astrologyweekly.com on 2 June 2014 , over 17 months from now. Readers may find that global economy was predicted to be impacted by one of the aspects of life obviously with negative consequence on economy was – “ Tsunamis in seas” which term also suggests heavy storm . Further , countries or regions likely to be impacted by the planetary energies or influences were pointed out with first letter with which its name begins. It was mentioned that “EU” which means one or more countries within European Union could be touched for impact. And within “EU” ( European Union ) , “E” which denotes England while “ U” means UK and “B” means Britain . There is no doubt about UK being covered in the prediction because within European Union , these symbolic details apply to UK alone. Thus UK or Britain are implied. As regards timing of tsunami or storm , these predictions from the article are more than clear:-
“ These influences can be read to mean that a mild slide downwards in world economy is likely to be seen after about October 2014. Unwelcome influences on the world economy around April and thereafter suggest that discernible concerns could surface around April 2015 and onwards. Definite rumbles of distress will be heard. However , a major cause of concern may arise from November 2015 to July 2016 when benign Jupiter may begin to have a scattered influence”.
The details in the prediction on record when pieced together lead to a clear and only destination – storm causing floods in UK during December 2015 having a somewhat unkind impact on economy.
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