County's flooding concerns are put before MPs

Rain and strong winds from Storm Babet in October 2023 flooded the Wensum Valley in Norfolk

The impact of flooding and coastal erosion on communities has been put before MPs in Westminster.

Kay Mason Billig, leader of Norfolk County Council, and Henry Cator, chairman of the Norfolk Strategic Flood Alliance (NSFA) met with MPs on Wednesday to explain the flooding risks the county faces.

They are calling on the government to build reservoirs to capture excess water, advocate for property flood protection measures to be allocated faster and the appointment of a dedicated Minister for the Coast.

Ms Billig said: "The impact of the series of storms that have hit the country this winter can leave no one in any doubt that these serious issues must be addressed."

Potter Heigham on the Norfolk Broads also experienced severe flooding in December

She added: "While these natural events don't have their origins in Westminster, the solutions do."

The council asked MPs for a push in legislative permission to build reservoirs which would be designed to catch excess water and to advocate for property flood protection measures to be granted directly to the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) so it can be allocated faster.

'There are limits'

The group has also been campaigning for a dedicated Minister for the Coast.

Mr Cator said they had already identified areas at risk of flooding.

"Under the current regulatory environment there are limits to what we can effectively do," he said.

"Changes to how powers and funding are granted can have a real impact in how quickly and efficiently we can work on the ground in Norfolk."

The NSFA was set up in 2021 and Mr Cator said he believed more needed to be done to maintain flood defences at a national level.

"We know that every pound spent on flood defences prevents approximately £12 worth of damage being wrought on homes and businesses... a dedicated Minister for the Coast could lead those discussions and effect real change," he said.