MP backs bid to bring Minister to celebrate progress of Burstwick Flood Defence scheme

2007 Floods

GRAHAM STUART, MP for Beverley and Holderness, has backed the Burstwick United Flood Action Group’s invitation to the Floods Minister officially to open the new flood defence scheme in the village.

Ron Smith, Burstwick United’s Chairman, wrote to Richard Benyon MP to ask him to visit the village to help spread the message that Burstwick is a desirable and dry place to live.

The invitation was sent following the construction of new earth embankments in Burstwick, which reduced Burstwick’s flood risk from around 1 in 7 to better than 1 in 200.

The work at Burstwick was part of a £3 million package which also included improvements to defences at Hedon. The Environment Agency said the work will reduce the chance of flooding in Burstwick and Hedon from Burstwick Drain to 0.5 per cent in any one year, comparable to the flooding in summer 2007

Graham said “Ron Smith and Burstwick United have done an amazing job of promoting the needs of the village and getting everyone together to make Burstwick safe from flooding. 

When Ron told me he’d written to the Minister to ask him to visit I agreed with him that this would be a great way to celebrate the progress made and send out a message about Burstwick. I’m also grateful to the staff at the Environment Agency who have listened to residents and acted to deliver the improvements. It would be good to tell the Minister about that as well.

“I’ve written separately to the Minister and hope that he will come and help signal the changes that have been made that make Burstwick somewhere safe, dry and desirable to live.”

Sources: Graham Stuart MP and the Environment Agency.