Flood defences were high on the agenda when Conservative shadow cabinet member Nick Herbert made a whistlestop tour of Tenbury. The shadow cabinet member for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, joined West Worcestershire Conservative candidate Hariett Baldwin to discuss the ‘forgotten blight’ of flooding. Nick, yesterday (April 28), was taken on a guided tour of many of the homes and businesses which have been ravaged by flooding in recent years. Nick commented: "I wanted to learn more about the impact these floods have had on the people of Tenbury and the remarkable way they have recovered from the damage. Over the last year, I have visited other areas similarly affected and I was glad to see that most people have been able to get their lives back to normal. “Climate change will make flood events more frequent in the decades ahead and a new Conservative government will want to ensure that funding is used effectively and local communities are fully involved in planning for flood defence so we can protect vital rural economies like Tenbury. ”I know that Harriet Baldwin will be a committed and hardworking MP who will ensure that the interests of West Worcestershire are properly represented at Westminster." Harriett commented: “It’s easy to forget the problems of flooding during the summer months, but this issue is an ever-present worry for local resident and businesses in Tenbury. “Heavy rains have caused devastation in the area and I have been battling to get appropriate flood defences here for several years. “Any government needs to spend money on flood defences, and as MP for Tenbury I want to fight to make sure some of that funding comes to help the town." Photo: Harriett and Nick Herbert talk to Tenbury resident Simon Waite