Lincolnshire Flooding: "We have the tools, it's a matter of Government priority" says Councillor
Councillor Tom Ashton also believes flooding support for agricultural land is not being prioritised
A Lincolnshire County Councillor is calling on the government to prioritise more money for flooding in the region.
Councillor Tom Ashton is Chairman of the Flood and Water Management Scrutiny Committee, who've been investigating the impact and responses to Storm Babet and Henk.
The two storms flooded nearly 700 homes in the county last winter.
"We really cannot accept the Environment Agency line that we can't stop flooding," said Councillor Ashton.
We simply got to invest in and to maintain the assets we’ve inherited
"We probably can't stop flooding everywhere, all the time. But we need to at least have a go at it.
"We have the tools to combat the effects of climate change. It is simply a matter of priority and spend.
"When our ancestors and predecessors drained to the Fens, they did it with a lot less equipment and mostly using their own money to create the landscape that we've got.
"We haven't got to go back to square one and drain the fens."
"We simply got to invest in and to maintain the assets we’ve inherited."
The Committee also believes not enough is being done to protect agricultural land and it's important role in food security.
Lincolnshire produces £2 billion of crops and livestock each year, including growing 30% of England's fresh vegetables.
"This Government to step up to the mark and recognise the value of our agricultural land in Lincolnshire," said Councillor Ashton.
"We’re the bread basket, the veg basket of England, and we're dependent on good drainage and good flood defences.
Lincolnshire County Council have announced an extra £1 million of support for people impacted by flooding
"Whether it's your home, whether it's your farm, whether it's a whole range of businesses, they all need to have that certainty that they're not about to be flood."
Lincolnshire County Council have announced an extra £1 million of support for people impacted by flooding.
The Council are also taking inspiration from a model in Somerset where the regions flood resources have been combined under one body, channelling an additional £42 million in Government funding.
However, these plans for a new body will not be confirmed until after the Council and Mayoral elections in May.