West Worcestershire MP Dame Harriett Baldwin today pledged to keep pressing for the Tenbury Wells permanent flood scheme following constructive discussions with Floods Minister Emma Hardy.

Last Friday (December 6), MP also gathered local councillors together to discuss plans to rebuild the collapsed wall in Market Street as quickly as possible to a higher standard of protection.

Dame Harriett also visited businesses who wanted to talk about the challenges they faced during the flood and pledged to continue her efforts to find a way to bridge the funding gap which has forced the permanent flood scheme to stall.

Dame Harriett said:

“Over the last week I have been able to meet the Minister to discuss ways to fund the scheme and councillors to look at some of the pressing actions that need to be carried out after Storm Bert wreaked havoc in Tenbury Wells.

“The collapsed wall needs to be built back better. The wall was due to be enhanced as part of the wider permanent scheme so if we can build the wall to the higher standard, this may well reduce the total cost of the whole scheme.

“And together with the Minister, we have both pledged to get creative to attempt to make the scheme affordable.

“Tenbury Wells will always flood without a permanent protection and it is essential that we all work together to get the flood defences fully funded, get it off the drawing board and into the planning committee for approval.”

Photo: (l-r) Dame Harriett Baldwin MP with Floods Minister Emma Hardy MP.