Martin raises flood issues for Cheltenham

2.06.00pm GMT Tue 12th Jan 2010

IN today's session of the Flood and Water Management Bill Committee, Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood is using his national role as floods spokesman for the Liberal Democrats to raise pressing issues for Cheltenham residents.

On behalf of the Liberal Democrats, Martin tabled a variety of amendments, which were debated today, designed to strengthen the Bill. Government minister Huw Irranca-Davies has made a string of pledges resulting from Martin's interventions. Included in Martin's amendments are measures to widen the definition of flooding in the Bill to clearly include groundwater flooding, to encourage natural flood defences like woodland to be reinstated, to establish a single point of contact for flooding, and for planning law to recognise that water does not obey political boundaries.

Three key commitments made by Government Minster Huw Irranca-Davies as a result of Martin's amendments:

• He promised to look at amending the definition of flooding in the Bill to explicitly include groundwater. This was an issue for Cheltenham residents in Little Bayshill Terrace and elsewhere

• He made explicit the inclusion of reinstatement of woodland in the appropriate forms of flood risk management. This was raised with Martin by the Woodland Trust, whose ancient woodland at Lineover Wood near Cheltenham helps to hold back and slow down floodwater from the surrounding hills

• He committed to the Environment Agency's National Floodline becoming a single point of contact for all forms of flood risk. At present they only answer queries about rivers and sea flooding

Martin said: "I'm delighted with the progress we've made so far. These are small but important victories if the Government is true to its word and just shows what a difference MPs can sometimes make when they try co-operation rather than confrontation."