Government must act on flooding proposals, says CLA

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The CLA has welcomed the Winter Floods report published yesterday (18 June) by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, while urging Government to take the action recommended to protect agricultural land from flooding.

CLA North Regional Director Dorothy Fairburn said: “This report supports the CLA’s calls for greater recognition in flood prevention policy of agricultural land’s importance for food production and for the rural economy.

“Investment in flood prevention is preferable to spending on clean up. We welcome the recommendation in the report for Government to improve resilience through regular and sustained maintenance of flood defence assets and watercourses.

“We are also pleased to see recognition of the importance of local knowledge and giving greater responsibility to Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs), which are localism in action and a practical solution to flood management.

“IDBs work because they are run by stakeholders from the local community with a direct interest in preventing flooding but they are facing significant budget cuts.

“Farmers and landowners have the knowledge and ability to maintain their own flood defences but the Government must act to cut the layers of red tape that are stopping them from providing local solutions for flood defence and water level management.