Local MPs join forces to tackle flooded farmland Issue

Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness and East Yorkshire MP Sir Greg Knight have held a virtual meeting with local farmers, representatives from the Environment Agency (EA), East Riding Council (ERYC) and the National Farmers Union (NFU) about coordinating action to address the issue of flooded local farmland. 

At the meeting, the Environment Agency reported on the River Hull bathymetric Survey, which had highlighted a number of focus areas for further investigation and which will become the subject of bids for Government funding. Farmers welcomed the further opportunity to raise their continuing concerns and individual experiences, and to put questions to the EA.

It was concluded that once a clear proposal is put together, the group will be in a position to make a strong case to various private and public bodies to secure funding. A follow up meeting is planned for September to hear an update from the EA about their assessments, solutions and costings, so that next steps can be confirmed. 

Sir Greg said, “Clearly more needs to be done and Graham and I are keen to ensure that a co-ordinated approach is pursued so that all options to reduce flooding locally are properly examined.”

Paul Stockhill, Area Flood and Coastal Risk Manager at the EA, said “We were grateful to have the opportunity to share the findings from our survey of the River Hull. There are some locations we want to look into further, where we can see ‘humps’ in the riverbed. We will conduct further sampling, to establish if these are a result of silt build up, or natural features such as chalk and rock.  

John Duggleby, who farms at Beswick, said, “I am very grateful for our two local MPs, Sir Greg Knight and Graham Stuart, being so supportive of our case for procuring extra funds from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.