Flood plan receives cautious welcome

A LEWES flood defence strategy involving raising river walls and reinstating a flood plain on the Lewes Brooks to the south of the town this week received a cautious welcome from residents.

Around 350 people who packed into Lewes Town Hall for a public meeting on Wednesday heard Flood Defence Committee chairman Peter Doran say he was confident that the Government would give 75 per cent financial backing to the 6 million walls and embankments scheme.

But Cllr Tony Reid of East Sussex County Council was unable to guarantee that his authority would be able to pay its full share of the other 25 per cent required from local authorities.

He said his council had many issues to deal with, but would do the best it could.

Tom Crossett of Lewes Flood Action set the tone of the meeting by welcoming the Environment Agency report but expressing concern that the proposals would not guarantee access to affordable insurance for all.

And he added: 'We need to act now because the flood threat has not gone away.

'History could pass harsh judgement on anyone who holds up the process by as much as a day.

'We need a plan that allows improvement as uncertainties are clarified and we make Government adopt more rational policies.'

MP Norman Baker said people were worried that insurance agreements could soon end. He that they should be extended for the three years it would take to get the defences in place.

He added that the funding arrangements for defences needed changing, and he would be looking at the possibility of European and other agency funding.

East Sussex County Council member Cllr Roger Thomas said flood defence plans nationally were totally under-funded and added that the Treasury was starving East Sussex of the money it deserved.

He said he thought it 'quite disgusting' that two areas in Lewes were getting no increased defences.

The Rt Rev Wallace Benn, Bishop of Lewes, said: 'We need to press harder for the money to be delivered.

'It's already a long time scale. I pray to God we don't get another flood this or next year.

'And when do we get an answer to the insurance situation?

'The insurance industry should stop expensive advertising for a year and put the money into some compassionate care for its customers.

'They are making a drama out of a crisis.'

Gemma Hawes of the Association of British Insurers said: 'We have been lobbying the Government on behalf of policy holders to get additional flood defence spending.'

Mr Midgley said the Lewes defences, when they came, would be virtually the best in the country.