'˜They're not taking Leeds seriously': Four takeaways from today's floods report

THE government was accused today of not taking Leeds seriously, after a long-delayed report on last December's devastating barely mentioned the city.
Huntingdon Road and Yearsley Crescent covered by floodwater after the River Ouse and River Foss burst their banks in York city centre, last DecemberHuntingdon Road and Yearsley Crescent covered by floodwater after the River Ouse and River Foss burst their banks in York city centre, last December
Huntingdon Road and Yearsley Crescent covered by floodwater after the River Ouse and River Foss burst their banks in York city centre, last December

The Kirkstall area of Leeds - as well as York and the Calder Valley - bore the brunt of the Boxing Day floods last year, with thousands of homes and businesses affected.

Today’s delayed report promises £12.5m for temporary flood relief, but is thin on detail as to where the measures will be deployed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Huntingdon Road and Yearsley Crescent covered by floodwater after the River Ouse and River Foss burst their banks in York city centre, last DecemberHuntingdon Road and Yearsley Crescent covered by floodwater after the River Ouse and River Foss burst their banks in York city centre, last December
Huntingdon Road and Yearsley Crescent covered by floodwater after the River Ouse and River Foss burst their banks in York city centre, last December

As many as 530 key infrastructure sites across England are still vulnerable to flooding, according to the report, commissioned after 16,000 houses across Yorkshire and Cumbria were flooded last December.

Neither Leeds nor York is mentioned in detail, and no specific proposals are made for the Calder Valley.

Leeds council leader Coun Judith Blake said: “Leeds is barely mentioned in this report which really does smack of the government not taking the risk here seriously.

The winter floods led to the flood resilience reviewThe winter floods led to the flood resilience review
The winter floods led to the flood resilience review
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Storm Eva caused absolute devastation for residents and businesses in Leeds, with many still recovering. The people of Leeds need the new Secretary of State to come out and confirm she will stick to the promises made to the city by her predecessor earlier this year. Namely that funding will be made available to provide protection from the River Aire upstream from Leeds Station along the Kirkstall Road corridor.

Huntingdon Road and Yearsley Crescent covered by floodwater after the River Ouse and River Foss burst their banks in York city centre, last DecemberHuntingdon Road and Yearsley Crescent covered by floodwater after the River Ouse and River Foss burst their banks in York city centre, last December
Huntingdon Road and Yearsley Crescent covered by floodwater after the River Ouse and River Foss burst their banks in York city centre, last December

“The silence on this is becoming increasingly concerning, especially as the report says flood defences for cities are now only the ‘ultimate aim’, as opposed to the ‘whatever it takes’ line previously used by government.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Coun Blake added: “As we know to our cost there has been a severe lack of long-term planning when it comes to funding for flood defences and there is nothing in this report to offer comfort on that level. What we can’t have is a repeat of what happened with the cancelled flood defences in Leeds in 2011, so I have invited the Secretary of State to visit so she can meet some of the residents and businesses so badly affected by Storm Eva, although I still await her response.”

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs said the locations for the £12.5m temporary defences were yet to be determined.

A spokesman said: “it is worth remembering they are portable, and can be deployed rapidly to the most appropriate locations as and when weather conditions develop.

The winter floods led to the flood resilience reviewThe winter floods led to the flood resilience review
The winter floods led to the flood resilience review

“They’re about a metre high and are quick to assemble into a continuous barrier as needed. The aim is to have around 40km of temporary defences.”

Recommendations from the review include:

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

• A commitment from utility companies to increase flood protection of phone networks, water treatment works and other essential services.

• A new “stress test” of the risk of flooding from rivers and the sea in England.

• Met Office forecasts of extreme rainfall scenarios to be linked with Environment Agency modelling to provide a new assessment of flood risk.

• The UK will now plan for 20-30% more extreme downpours than before.

More shortly