Government ends months of confusion over future of regional flooding tsars

The Department for Environment (Defra) first announced the appointment of two new flood envoys last January, in the wake of the devastating floods that left swathes of Yorkshire under water.

The two ministers were originally tasked with coordinating the recovery response, but within months of their assignment a Cabinet reshuffle led to reports that the scheme had been quietly scrapped.

Yorkshire MPs have repeatedly pressed ministers for confirmation as to whether the positions have been axed, and have only now been informed that MPs Robert Goodwill and Rory Stewart will stay on in the roles.

The assurances were made by Secretary of State Andrea Leadsom in response to several letters from the Environmental Audit committee (EAC) chairman Mary Creagh.

Responding to the news, Ms Creagh said she was “pleased” to receive confirmation, but did not understand why it had taken the Government “six months to work out whether these people would still be in post”.

“[It] just shows a lack of grip at the centre of Government,” the Wakefield MP told the Yorkshire Post.

“Storm Doris last week and Storm Angus before Christmas showed us that the risk of flooding has not gone away... this is the greatest risk that our country faces from climate change and we cannot go back to the traditional reactive role.

“What Government has tended to do is cut funding when its dry, and then increase funding when there’s a flood, and that is not an acceptable or sustainable approach.“I think its quite worrying that there doesn’t seem to be that coordination across Government.”

Ms Creagh said she has also raised concerns with Mrs Leadsom about the replacement of Oliver Letwin, who was leading the national flood resilience review before he was sacked from the Cabinet Office.

She said it was unclear who is in charge of “driving” cross-departmental policy, and suggested there was a “lack of priority” around the issue of flooding in the current administration.

Reacting to the news, the Labour MP for Leeds West, Rachel Reeves, said she hoped Mr Goodwill will “make it a priority” to visit flood victims in badly-affected areas like Kirkstall.

She added: “Government support for better defending Leeds and Yorkshire from flooding is still desperately slow in coming despite the devastation witnessed in our region. I hope ministers are now going to take these issues seriously.

Meanwhile, Greg Mulholland, the Lib Dem MP for Leeds North West, said the continuation of the role was “essential”.

He told the Yorkshire Post: “The affected areas in the country, including Yorkshire, require a clear strategy for reducing flood risk and someone with responsibility to ensure local communities and councils are directly linked to Government and the Environment Agency.”

In her letter to the EAC, Mrs Leadsom said her department recognises the “importance of the role of flood envoys and the very useful role they played last winter”.

“I am pleased to confirm that Rory Stewart and Robert Goodwill remain in their respective flood envoy roles,” she wrote.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, Mr Goodwill said the Prime Minister had renewed his mandate in the autumn, following a discussion about whether there was a need to continue with the scheme.

“I’m very pleased that the Prime Minister had reappointed me, particularly as we still have one or two ongoing issues in West Yorkshire and down the coast. My role is to be basically be a conduit to maksure ministers can be aware of what’s happening,” he said.

“It is very important that we continue to roll-out schemes [like] Flood Re, and continue to engage with householders to let them know what’s available.”

A Defra spokesman added: “Flood envoys perform a vital role – making sure Yorkshire’s needs are heard at the very highest levels and coordinating flood recovery work.

“We are committed to making sure communities are better protected should another flood occur, which is why we are investing over £440 million in schemes across Yorkshire over six years, to better protect over 71,000 homes.