David Warburton, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Somerton and Frome yesterday met the Secretary of State for Environment, the Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP during his visit to Somerset to discuss the flooding crisis. David lobbied the minister and pressed the case for dredging and maintaining the rivers on the Levels and moors.
Last week, David invited George Eustice MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary for the Environment, Water & Rural Affairs, to Long Sutton to meet local residents, farmers and business-owners affected by the flooding. That meeting took place on Saturday night at the flood-damaged Long Sutton Golf Club and prompted Owen Paterson's visit to Somerset yesterday.
David urged Owen Paterson MP to act quickly to prevent further flooding and to provide help now for those in need of support.
The Secretary of State said ““I am extremely grateful to David for inviting me down to Somerset on Monday and also for arranging for George Eustice, our Environment Minister, to meet with local residents in Long Sutton at the weekend. During my visit I had a number of useful meetings in which we discussed how to solve the problem of flooding on the Levels for the next 20 years. I have asked my officials to work with the Environment Agency, local councils, internal drainage boards and landowners to come forward with an Action Plan within the next six weeks.”
David then visited Muchelney and Thorney at the invitation of the chairman of the Parish Council. No other politician has yet made the journey to visit the cut-off villagers. Arriving by boat, he spoke to many local residents and business owners, listening to their views and strong concerns.
David Warburton said, “It really is shocking to see the absolute devastation that this flooding has caused. Countless residents are quite rightly at the end of their tethers and have completely run out of patience. Many houses in Thorney are still underwater, with lives and livelihoods in tatters.
“People’s spirits are being kept up only by the incredibly strong sense of community. I must also pay tribute to the unfailing support and good humour of the local farmers and the emergency services.
“Decisive, effective action needs to be taken by the government right now. I have been campaigning hard to bring this crisis into focus and urge the Environment Agency to take steps to ensure that our rivers and waterways are properly dredged and maintained so that a disaster on this scale can never happen again.”