Flood funds farce

IT is nearly five years since great parts of Yorkshire were washed away by floods that prompted Gordon Brown and David Cameron to visit this region, make similar undertakings on flood prevention funding and promise affordable insurance to affected properties.

By The Newsroom

Published 31st Jan 2012, 08:46 BST

Yet, despite this torrent of platitudes, what has happened in the intervening period? Not a lot, according to Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee which is forging a formidable reputation in exposing policy failings.

Five million properties remain at risk nationally because work on flood prevention measures cannot keep pace with demand; there is little co-ordination between Defra, the Environment Agency and local authorities and the issue of insurance also remains unresolved.

What next? The answer is clear. A senior Minister needs to take solitary responsibility for flooding, and preventative measures, so that they can drive forward the Government’s response to these criticisms and ensure that the public can have the confidence that everything possible is being done to mitigate the impact of extreme weather.