Nottinghamshire Conservatives are demanding a fairer deal for flood-hit communities across the county, ahead of a key debate at the County Council’s Full Council meeting this Thursday (18 September).
Cllr Mike Introna, who represents Retford East, is tabling a motion calling on the Council to write to the Government’s Minister for Flooding, the East Midlands Mayor, and all Nottinghamshire MPs, urging them to press for:
- More resources for flood prevention schemes in Nottinghamshire, as the number of homes at risk is expected to rise in the years ahead.
- A fairer formula for allocating flood defence funding, so that areas like Retford, Worksop, Stoke Bardolph, Farndon, Burton Joyce, Lowdham and other smaller communities are not left behind simply because property values are lower than in other parts of the country.
- More recognition of local knowledge and practical solutions, with residents and community groups able to feed into decision-making alongside engineers and consultants.
Cllr Introna said: “Flooding doesn’t care where you live, how much your house is worth, or how you vote. Yet the current system leaves places like Retford and Worksop at a permanent disadvantage. Families who have been flooded time and time again feel abandoned, and that has to change.
We’re asking for common sense, fairness, and proper investment. Our residents deserve the same chance to stay safe and secure as anyone else in the country.”
The motion is backed by Conservative colleagues across Nottinghamshire, including Cllr Mike Adams, who represents Carlton East and is seconding the motion. He added:
“I have worked alongside our fantastic flooding team at Nottinghamshire County Council throughout my first four years, and now into my fifth. Together, we have delivered changes in the upper catchment, introduced leaky dams, and worked to remodel waterways to better manage water flows. It is clear to me that we need significant investment. Without fairer funding, our hands are tied when it comes to tackling the more severe issues across our network. Our residents need us to fight for them – to protect their homes – we are answering that call and demanding fairer funding.”
Nottinghamshire has some of the lowest levels of flood defence investment per property at risk in England, receiving just over £3,200 compared to over £12,000 in some other regions. Recent schemes – like the proposed Retford Beck reservoir – have been scrapped under the Government’s rigid cost-benefit rules, despite widespread local backing.
The Conservatives are calling for the new Reform administration to put politics aside and back the motion, so that all councillors can stand united behind residents who face the misery of flooding year after year.
Cllr Introna added: “This motion is not about politics, it’s about people. Flood water doesn’t respect party lines, and neither should the fight to protect our communities. I urge all councillors to support this motion and send a clear message to Government: Nottinghamshire will not be forgotten.”
