Sheffield's Lib Dem Leader Fights for Flood Money

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 23rd Jun 2008

The Labour Government has turned down Sheffield for flood prevention work

Government officials have turned down Sheffield's bid for work on two key areas of the City under threat from flooding. The Liberal Democrat leader of Sheffield City Council is now demanding that Sheffield gets its fair share of investment to prevent flooding. Cllr Paul Scriven has written to the Environment Agency to object to their decision not to fund work.

Sheffield bid for work on Blackburn Brook and Porter Brook, both areas that have been identified as high risk. The decision means Sheffield loses out on up to £20m of much needed flood prevention work.

Blackburn Brook runs from the North of Sheffield down to Meadowhall and includes areas that where severely affected by last years flooding. It was included in the Environment Agency's programme but was subsequently dropped. Porter Brook runs from the West of the City into the city centre.

Sheffield has yet to receive any substantial investment from the Environment Agency for flood prevention despite last years floods.

Cllr Paul Scriven, Liberal Democrat Leader of Sheffield City Council, said: -

"Considering last years devastating floods and the promises of support made by the Government at the time, it is totally unacceptable for them to now refuse to fund these vital flood prevention works."

"Sheffield suffered a huge amount of devastation and disruption due to floods. You would have thought we would be at the front of the queue, but the Government obviously feel differently. We aren't asking for any special favours, we just want a fair deal so that the Council can do everything possible to prevent floods in the future."

"This decision will see us losing out on up to £20m worth of investment for flood prevention. I am writing to the Environment Agency to ask them to urgently re-consider their position so that the people of Sheffield get the support they are entitled to."