Richard Arkless MP praised the “incredible work” of the emergency services and the “unbelievable resilience of local communities” yesterday as he led for his party in the Commons in an Opposition Day debate on flooding.
He told his fellow MPs that spending on flood defences in Scotland continues to rise and the Flood Forecasting Service has its budget protected.
The Dumfries and Galloway MP also criticised the political point-scoring within the House of Commons yesterday, pointing out that constituents don’t care, when they are clearing up the sewage and debris from their front room, about politicians attacking each other.
Mr Arkless added: “Our constituents deserve better than this. My constituents want to know what we can do to help. They want to know that we care about their plight, and they want to know we are on top of the processes and plans to ensure we can minimise the risk of severe flooding in the future.”
Mr Arkless also outlined that flood defences are not the responsibility of SEPA; they are the responsibility of the Local Council. He also outlined that SEPA has recently published 14 ‘Flood Risk Management Strategies’ for each area of Scotland. Within the strategy there are 42 different flood defence schemes which should be put in place by Councils by 2021. The Scottish Government have confirmed that the £235 million cost will be met.”
While Dumfries and Galloway’s people have shown incredible resilience throughout this recent flooding crisis, Mr Arkless concluded that this should never be taken for granted, saying:
“It should never diminish our responsibility to deal with what I think is a new problem for a new generation. The weather is not going to get any better, so we must up the ante to ensure that our communities are protected in the future.”
Mr Arkless’s constituency includes many of the towns and villages most badly affected by the recent flooding. The High Street in Newton Stewart was submerged under more than a foot of water and nearly 30 homes in the village of Casphairn had to be evacuated.
Flooding at the Whitesands area of Dumfries reached well up Friars Vennel and properties in Moniaive, the Glenkens, Dumfries town centre and Crocketford also had to be evacuated.
He thanked Dumfries and Galloway Council, SEPA and all the emergency services, as well as volunteers both on the ground and those stationed at the respite centres which were set up.
Mr Arkless added that without such a co-ordinated response, things could have been immeasurably worse.
‘The warnings were everywhere and social media played a huge part in allowing everyone to prepare as best they could.”
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