- 01/04/2025
- Posted by: Amanda Hack MP
- Category: News
The above image is of Amanda Hack and the Flooding Minister Emma Hardy in Parliament.
Investment confirmed in flood defences to protect local communities
- 3 schemes in North West Leicestershire to receive fresh government funding this year.
- Schemes in Diseworth, Long Whatton and Breedon to benefit from a £334,000 investment in flood defences.
Following the Government’s commitment to invest a record £2.65 billion over two years in the construction of new flood schemes and the maintenance of existing ones, the Environment Agency has published a list of the communities that will benefit from projects this year.
The frequency of extreme weather events continues to rise, leading to devastating impacts on local communities. This costs the UK and our local economy billions each year, which is why decisive action to invest in adapting to climate change has never been more important.
Following the announcement, Amanda Hack said:
“Each time heavy rain starts to fall, I know many people across North West Leicestershire begin to worry about the risk of flooding. As our climate continues to change, we are seeing more regular flood events.
I have been speaking with flood wardens and flood action groups across the constituency both before, during, and after recent flood events. This includes the significant rainfall in January this year, during which we saw several properties flooded and, sadly, some residents lose their homes. I know how devastating this impact has been on those who have been affected.
It’s welcome news that Diseworth, Long Whatton and Breedon will see new money towards their alleviation schemes to protect properties into the future. I will continue to raise other schemes and affected areas with the Flooding Minister Emma Hardy, to ensure that our communities are as protected as possible for the future.”
Floods Minister Emma Hardy said:
“I know from firsthand experience the devastating impacts that flooding can cause.
The role of Government is to protect its citizens. However, we inherited flood defences in their worst condition on record following 14 years of Conservative neglect.
Through our Plan for Change, we are supporting 3 schemes in North West Leicestershire, ensuring residents have the long-term protection they need, while boosting local growth and creating new jobs.”
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In Westminster Hall, I recently spoke about how living in a rural community can make accessing healthcare far more difficult than it should be.
One of the first casework issues I ever dealt with was from a resident in Ashby who needed an out of hours appointment on a Sunday. The only place they could be seen was in Leicester and just getting there cost around £40 in a taxi.
I also raised the pressure on our community pharmacies. They are the first port of call for so many of us, especially in areas like ours with a history of industrial work and higher rates of respiratory conditions. Around 8% of local residents are living with asthma, and many rely on regular medication and advice from their local chemist.
But depending on where you live, getting to a pharmacy isn’t always simple.
Castle Donington, which has the highest asthma levels in the constituency, has just one pharmacy serving the entire area. It does fantastic work, but the next closest option is more than five miles away.
(I am aware of the recent announcement regarding the Independent Prescribing Pathfinder service and have written to the ICB about this.)
Our rural communities deserve better access to the healthcare services and I’m proud that we are part of the rollout of neighbourhood health services, bringing more of the NHS closer to local people.
But I want to hear your views on health services across the constituency. I’ve just launched a local survey which you can complete here: www.amandahack.com/campaigns/local-nhs-survey/
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Over the past week, I’ve heard from many of you about the rise in heating oil prices across the constituency following the volatility in the Middle East.
Some residents have told me about orders being cancelled and then reissued at significantly higher prices. I know that for households that rely on heating oil, delaying an order simply isn’t an option. Poor practices and hiking up prices is completely unacceptable.
As a member of the Labour Rural Research Group, I met with the Energy Minister and the Treasury Secretary alongside colleagues last week to raise these concerns, and we have continued to provide feedback from our survey. Following those discussions, the government is now taking action.
We are not only looking at how the UK heating oil sector can be more closely regulated in the future, but we are also announcing a £53 million support package for those most in need. The funding will be distributed by local authorities via the Crisis and Resilience Fund (previously known as the Household Support Fund). As further information on the scheme becomes available, I will of course share that with you.
If you haven’t yet had the chance to complete our survey on this issue, we are still sharing information with treasury colleagues, so please complete it here before the end of today: tinyurl.com/2fd63cyy
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