'Positive and promising' - Shrewsbury MP welcomes Chancellor's response over flood proposals
Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski has described Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's response to flood response proposals as "positive and promising".
Mr Kawczynski again raised the River Severn Partnership's business case in the Commons chamber this week.
The partnership has produced a business case that requests £500 million to manage the River Severn across its entire catchment holistically. If implemented, Mr Kawczinski says it could deliver billions of pounds if vast swathes of lands, businesses, and homes no longer flood regularly.
In the Chancellor’s response, he stated flood risk management is a priority for the government - highlighting a few announcements it has made to increase funding to tackle this issue.
The Chancellor welcomed the partnership’s work to consider ‘innovative, catchment-scale water management approaches to support the resilience and economic growth’. One approach that the Chancellor wants to explore further with the partnership is their proposal to establish an Environmental Innovation Zone.
This zone would extend from Shrewsbury to the Welsh Hills, and builds on the plans within the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme which is due for public consultation over the next few months.
The aim would be to secure a bespoke deal with the government including freedoms and flexibilities to help accelerate much-needed flood alleviation and water security concerns.
Mr Kawczynski said: "The Chancellor’s response to the River Severn Partnership’s proposals is positive and promising. My efforts to catch the attention of the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have worked because the door is now open for the Partnership to work with their officials on unique innovative ways in which the River Severn can finally be tamed."
