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£12.5m flood defence measures 'shockingly disappointing' | £12.5m flood defence measures 'shockingly disappointing' |
(about 11 hours later) | |
Flood victims have reacted angrily to the government's efforts to prevent flooding, with some describing it as "shockingly disappointing". | Flood victims have reacted angrily to the government's efforts to prevent flooding, with some describing it as "shockingly disappointing". |
A report outlined £12.5m for temporary defences after a review was commissioned following the floods across northern England last December. | A report outlined £12.5m for temporary defences after a review was commissioned following the floods across northern England last December. |
Bob Deacon, whose home in Hebden Bridge was flooded, said: "It's abysmal. It's really shocking." | Bob Deacon, whose home in Hebden Bridge was flooded, said: "It's abysmal. It's really shocking." |
Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom said it would "strengthen defences". | Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom said it would "strengthen defences". |
About 16,000 houses were inundated during the wettest Christmas in a century. | About 16,000 houses were inundated during the wettest Christmas in a century. |
The National Flood Resilience Review recommended measures including barriers and high-volume water pumps to be held at seven strategic locations around the country. | The National Flood Resilience Review recommended measures including barriers and high-volume water pumps to be held at seven strategic locations around the country. |
Mr Deacon, who chairs the Hebden Bridge Partnership, which was set up to improve the town, said flood-hit communities in West Yorkshire focused on solutions involving changes to the management of the moorland. | |
"There are only two sentences about all that - on the last page," he said. | "There are only two sentences about all that - on the last page," he said. |
"An opportunity has simply not been taken to assess this impact." | "An opportunity has simply not been taken to assess this impact." |
He said he had hoped the review would look at measures to force water companies to take on a legal responsibility to reduce flood risk. | He said he had hoped the review would look at measures to force water companies to take on a legal responsibility to reduce flood risk. |
"As a policy issue, it's simply not there. It's quite shockingly disappointing," he said. | "As a policy issue, it's simply not there. It's quite shockingly disappointing," he said. |
About 90% of affected businesses had reopened and many installed flood resilience measures paid for by money raised locally, he said. | About 90% of affected businesses had reopened and many installed flood resilience measures paid for by money raised locally, he said. |
Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake said the city was "barely mentioned in this report". | Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake said the city was "barely mentioned in this report". |
"What we can't have is a repeat of what happened with the cancelled flood defences in Leeds in 2011," she said. | "What we can't have is a repeat of what happened with the cancelled flood defences in Leeds in 2011," she said. |
Brenda Pollack, campaigner at Rewilding Britain, which wants to restore natural habitats and wildlife, said opportunities to reduce flood risk naturally had been missed by the government. | Brenda Pollack, campaigner at Rewilding Britain, which wants to restore natural habitats and wildlife, said opportunities to reduce flood risk naturally had been missed by the government. |
"Restoring natural, varied landscapes helps absorb flood waters and is more cost effective than expensive flood barriers and defences," she said. | "Restoring natural, varied landscapes helps absorb flood waters and is more cost effective than expensive flood barriers and defences," she said. |
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