MP calls for commitment on flood prevention funds

Randalls Park Crematorium cemetery was one of the areas hit by heavy flooding earlier this month

A Surrey MP has sought reassurance from the government over long-term flood prevention funding after parts of Leatherhead were left "overflooding with sewage".

The town and surrounding areas were badly impacted after heavy rainfall during the first weekend of January saw a flood warning issued for the River Mole.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Tuesday, Epsom & Ewell Liberal Democrat MP Helen Maguire pressed Treasury minister Torsten Bell for an enduring financial commitment.

She said: "In Leatherhead there are no alternative options to divert water... Given the importance of long-term flood preparations, can the chancellor commit to securing funding for flood defences beyond 2025/26?"

Maguire told the Chamber the recent flooding left some footpaths in the town "overflooding with sewage", including some near essential services such as train stations.

Bell declined to commit, instead telling Maguire "specific flood defence schemes will be considered in the normal way".

"When it comes to funding beyond 2025/26, those will be decisions on overall levels of funding that I'll take within the Spending Review later this year," the minister added.

The government has previously confirmed plans to invest £2.4bn until March 2026 to improve flood resilience and better protect communities across the UK.

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