George Eustice flooding promises not water-tight – The Yorkshire Post says

Yet the importance of local and national action on flooding remains just as urgent as residents living along the flood-stricken Ouse and Nene valleys in Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire experience the devastation and despair felt by families across in Yorkshire in December 2015.

Our hearts go out to them as they count the cost of recent rain and begin to clear-up the damage – this newspaper also hopes their experience will refocus the efforts of Environment Secretary George Eustice whose promises to this region have been as water-tight as a sluice gate along a swollen river.

Ten months on, Yorkshire is still awaiting the region-wide flooding summit that he promised in York in February 2019 – his excuse that he didn’t appreciate what was being expected of him simply does not hold water. And nor does it wash.

For, while Mr Eustice did partake in a virtual meeting of South Yorkshire leaders, he’s still to reply to a letter sent to him by Sheffield City Region mayor Dan Jarvis in early November.

This gave a commitment to make £8.6m available out of local funds to begin nine shovel-ready schemes to protect 860 homes if £36m could be provided by Ministers from their many promises made to victims.

Yet, despite this offer, there’s been no response from Mr Eustice which begs two questions: Why not and what will it take for him to show some leadership?

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