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Neena Welcomes Action on Flooding

Neena Gill MEP (Labour, West Midlands) has welcomed the announcement from Defra of increased funding for improving flood defences in the West Midlands.

The Government proposals would see an extra £800 million invested in flood defences in 2010 which would help to protect an extra 43,000 homes.

Speaking from the European Parliament in Strasbourg Neena said: “We all remember the floods that devastated our region two summer’s ago and this draft bill is a real boost to efforts to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”

“At the time we all worked hard to secure EU funding to help with the relief effort and to help with preventative measures. It is great to see that the long term future of our region is now being guaranteed with this investment and that the families and businesses who suffered as a result of the last floods will not have to do so again.”

Neena also criticised Conservative plans not to match the spending: “The Conservatives refusal to match this funding is irresponsible in the extreme. To leave counties such as Worcestershire and the communities that inhabit them vulnerable to another bout of devastating flooding would be complete madness.”