WARRINGTON North MP Charlotte Nichols has visited residents impacted by floods in Callands and Padgate areas of the town.
Flooding on New Year’s Day impacted many areas of Warrington, including some places in the constituency of Warrington North, in particular homes near Cromwell Avenue, Callands and Mullion Grove, Padgate.
Charlotte visited residents in these areas over the weekend alongside Cllr Kate Eglinton in Callands and Cllrs Graham Friend and Una Gillham in Padgate.
Ms Nichols said: “This week I have been meeting affected residents in Callands and Padgate with our local councillors who have been leading on the flood response. My thoughts go out to all those who have seen their homes flooded following the heavy rainfall on New Year’s Day.
“Flooding in Callands was exacerbated by surface water on Cromwell Avenue being pushed towards housing by traffic, which likely increased the extent and severity of damage. Cllr Eglinton has started talks with the council highway officers about this for future incidents of adverse weather – including the potential for barriers here.
“Ultimately it will be the Sankey Brook Flood Risk Management Scheme (FRMS) which will help protect Callands and neighbouring Dallam from floods in the future. I support this scheme and I want to assure residents that the Government is investing in preventing flooding in the future.
“The flooding in the area around Padgate Community Centre appears to have been driven at least in part by collapsed drainage, owned and operated by United Utilities. Through new legislation which holds water companies more accountable for infrastructure works, we will be pushing them for improvement works to ensure this could not be repeated, and are exploring their liability for damage which is not covered by insurance in that locality.
“We have been giving residents information about Flood Re, both for future insurance having previously experienced flooding, but also their Build Back Better scheme which can provide up to £10,000 for property level flood resilience measures. Flood Re is only available for owner-occupiers at present, but there are discussions underway at Government level about extending eligibility for tenants and landlords.
We have also been signposting to the Household Support Fund, which can provide discretionary financial support. Welfare checks have been taking place by council officers and local councillors throughout since New Year’s Day, but if there is someone you are concerned about or who needs more help, please direct them our way.
“My office and I continue to be supporting a number of residents with issues related to the flooding, but if you have been affected and have not spoken with your local councillors or with me and you need help, please do reach out on [email protected]
“You can also find your local councillor and their contact details on the Warrington Borough Council website here: https://www.warrington.gov.uk/councillors”
On Friday 10th January Charlotte also met with Ian Crewe, Environment Agency Area Director for Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire to ask what is being done to protect Warrington from floods in future.
In this meeting the Sankey Brook Flood Risk Management Scheme (FRMS) which will help protect Callands was discussed, with construction work due to begin in the next few years. New protections include – new linear flood defences set back from Sankey Brook’s edge, flood storage areas on the existing flood plain, additional tidal gates – amongst other measures.
Climate change will lead to more severe weather of this kind, this is why flood defence is a priority for Charlotte and the new Labour Government. Following years of under-investment, flood defences were in poor condition, with approximately 60,000 properties across the country less well defended than if flood defences were in optimal condition. Therefore, the new Environment Secretary Steve Reed has committed to investing £2.4 billion over the next two years in flood defences nationally.