West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has welcomed the news that the Government will be spending more than £5 billion improving flood defences across the country.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson made the announcement during a visit to Bewdley yesterday (March 8) where he saw flooded homes and met with Environment Agency and emergency services staff who have managed the response to Storm Dennis. The extra funding will be confirmed in the Budget on Wednesday.

Harriett met with Environment Secretary George Eustice last week to press for extra funding and to ask him to support two schemes – in Tenbury and Severn Stoke – that already have outline plans.

Harriett commented: “I welcome this extra Budget commitment which increases the amount the Government will spend on much-needed flood defences hopefully including the two schemes still outstanding in West Worcestershire.

“Over the course of last few weeks I have had a series of meetings with the Government to discuss what we must do to help improve the county’s flood resilience keeping road links open and protecting our communities from further serious flooding.

“Schemes like the one in Upton-upon-Severn have paid for themselves many times over and now is the time to replicate that success in towns like Tenbury.

“I’ll be looking at the Budget statement in detail and already have a meeting lined up with the Environment Agency to discuss how it can progress these local schemes and bid into this larger funding pot.”