On Thursday 30th January, Slow The Flow were proud to host a reception at Hardcastle Crags, a National Trust site in West Yorkshire, with 3 of our Members of Parliament.
We are grateful for the time and enthusiasm shown by:
- Josh Fenton-Glynn, MP for the Calder Valley;
- Kate Dearden, MP for Halifax, and
- Toby Perkins, MP for Chesterfield and Chair of the All Party Group Environmental Audit Committee.
Adrian Horton (Chair of Slow The Flow) speaking to Kate Dearden MP (left) Josh Fenton-Glynn MP (middle) and Toby Perkins MP (right).
This was a chance for us to showcase the many merits of using natural processes to reduce flood risk in our communities and also to have a useful round-table discussion, including promoting again our 5 Key Messages to government:
1. More funding required for NFM. It is a cost-effective approach that provides value for money. Currently the funding model is balanced in favour of hard engineering solutions with only a tiny proportion of funding going to Natural Flood Management.
2. All planning developments should include SuDS to manage water at a local level. Schedule 3 of the FWMA is already adopted and implemented in Wales but not elsewhere in the UK.
3. Education is crucial for long-term understanding and success. NFM and SuDS should be included in the primary school curriculum.
4. Green skills and expertise are necessary for the development of NFM. These roles and professions should be prioritised if we are going to build upon the knowledge and benefits of NFM. All local authorities should have NFM officers to manage projects on a local level. You will remember our own ambition, of having our first member of staff to be appointed this year, and our challenge of funding this hugely important role for our community.
5. NFM and SuDS have a positive impact on Combined Sewer Outfalls, and the automatic right to combined sewer connection should be removed. The River Calder, where Slow The Flow is based, is the most polluted in the UK, so we have a special interest in this being enforced.
As a result of this meeting, we may also be invited to speak to the Environmental Audit Committee later this year. We are also looking to return to Parliament this year to speak to more Members of Parliament about nature-based solutions as alternatives to traditional flood alleviation schemes.
Our objective is to bring these key messages to the attention of every single MP in the UK, so please help us by writing to your own MP to promote this important work and to get them to engage with us on these important issues.
Slow The Flow Trustees, our Patron Jack Wallington, Rosie Holdsworth from the National Trust, and Kate Dearden MP, Josh Fenton-Glynn MP and Toby Perkins MP.