MP's anger as flood defences cash deadline missed

Tenbury Wells has been flooded several times in recent years, including last November

An MP says she is "outraged" after the Environment Agency (EA) failed to meet a deadline to secure funding to protect a town's properties from flooding.

Around 200 homes, business and other public buildings in Tenbury Wells were due to receive extra help to keep the water at bay, including bespoke measures like individual flood gates.

But West Worcestershire MP Dame Harriett Baldwin says the money is no longer available due to delays in implementing the scheme, calling it "outrageous".

The EA says it "remains committed to improving flooding resilience" in the Worcestershire town, where a larger flood defence system had already been shelved after costs rose from £17m to £30m.

The smaller scheme for individual properties was supposed to be the alternative to that.

However, Dame Harriett said because the EA failed to get the scheme finalised ahead of a spending review period that starts in April 2026, the money for it is no longer available.

The floods during Storm Bert last year left residents worried the town would never be properly protected

She said: "I am outraged and appalled to hear reports that even the barest minimum – the individual property level protection – cannot be delivered while literally millions of pounds have been spent on consultants and Environment Agency staffing costs.

"This is devastating news for Tenbury residents, who are already reeling from the news that insurance companies are starting to withdraw from offering flood insurance the town's historic buildings.

"I am absolutely furious, and will continue to press for funding sources to put this project back on track - but the Environment Agency needs to take a good look at their actions since the Tenbury scheme was first approved in 2020."

Dame Harriett is now pressing for further talks with flooding minister Emma Hardy.

An EA spokesperson said the agency remained "committed to improving flooding resilience in the Tenbury Wells area".

"We are working with all partners on how this can be taken forward," they added.