Flooding cash given to South Yorkshire 'wholly inadequate' and will leave people 'fearing their homes will be devastated again'

Wentworth and Dearne Labour MP John Healey has written to the Prime Minister claiming that South Yorkshire had been “short-changed” and the £16m announced for the region in two schemes would “leave people in our area fearing their homes, businesses, and schools will be devastated over and over again”.

Boris Johnson unveiled the Government’s long-term flood strategy last month, which was heralded as the most comprehensive in a decade and included investment of £5.2bn to create around 2,000 new flood and coastal defences.

Some £200m would go towards innovative projects such as sustainable drainage systems and nature-based solutions and £170m was set aside for “shovel ready” projects to start this year and next year.

At the time Mr Johnson said: “Last winter I saw for myself the misery and upheaval that flooding can bring to lives and livelihoods and I said we would do more to help people.

“This long-term plan will help push back the flood waters and protect hundreds of thousands of homes, businesses and livelihoods.

“Our record investment will also stimulate economic growth across the UK as we build back better.

But Mr Healey, following concerns from Sheffield City Region mayor and Barnsley Central MP Dan Jarvis, and local authority leaders, said the amount was “wholly inadequate”.

He said £270m was needed for 27 projects across South Yorkshire to protect at least 2,800 business and 10,300, with £1.7bn of future damage prevented.

And he said the two schemes selected by the Government - the Upper Don Valley Phase 2 scheme and the Upper Don Valley Natural Flood Management programme - were picked without consultation locally.

He said: “The money allocated to South Yorkshire does not measure up to the dangers facing our communities and areas of Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster which were devastated by floods last year have been totally overlooked.”

A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson prevously said: “We understand the heartbreak, devastation and disruption faced by communities when flooding hits and we are committed to making the country as resilient to flooding as possible.

“This is why we have already built 59 new flood defences in Yorkshire since 2015, better protecting 13,200 homes, and nationally we have committed record levels of investment over the next six years to better protect 336,000 properties.

“We will continue to work with local leaders and communities across Yorkshire - including holding a roundtable discussion when it is appropriate to do so.”