RICHARD BURT - RICHARD BURT AND LIB DEM CONFERENCE PLEDGE TO HELP VICTIMS OF FLOODING

6.18.00pm GMT Thu 20th Sep 2007

WEST WORCESTERSHIRE'S LIBERAL DEMOCRAT PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE, RICHARD BURT HAS TODAY CALLED ON HIS PARTY AT THEIR CONFERENCE IN BRIGHTON TO PLEDGE BETTER ASSISTANCE FOR THE VICTIMS OF FUTURE FLOODING.

SPEAKING FROM THE CONFERENCE PLATFORM TO PARTY DELEGATES, RICHARD BURT SAID:

"HAVING VISITED FLOOD AFFECTED AREAS, I WOULD LIKE TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE WONDERFUL RESILIENCE OF THOSE AFFECTED AND TO THE PHENOMENAL HELP AND SUPPORT GIVEN BY NEIGHBOURS TO THOSE DRIVEN OUT OF THEIR HOMES BY THE FLOODS ACROSS WORCESTERSHIRE.

"THE FLOODWATERS IN WORCESTERSHIRE CLAIMED TWO LIVES. MANY THOUSANDS ARE STILL SUFFERING THE STRESS AND TRAUMA OF HAVING LOST THEIR HOMES AND POSSESSIONS, WITH NO PROSPECT OF RETURNING FOR MANY MONTHS TO COME.

"THIS IS THE PERSONAL COST OF GOVERNMENT FAILURE TO LEARN THE LESSONS OF THE FLOODS BACK IN 2001."

RICHARD, WHO WAS JOINED AT CONFERENCE BY UPTON RESIDENT CHRIS MAIR FROM THE TOWN'S NEW STREET FLOOD FORUM, WARNED THE PARTY OF THE FUTURE DANGERS OF FLOODING IN WORCESTERSHIRE:

"UNLESS PERMANENT FLOOD DEFENCES ARE PROVIDED TO TOWNS LIKE UPTON, AND UNLESS URGENT STEPS ARE TAKEN TO PUT IN PLACE A COMPREHENSIVE FLOOD RISK STRATEGY, WE RUN THE RISK OF CREATING PARIAH TOWNS AND VILLAGES WHERE HOMES ARE BLIGHTED AND CANNOT BE SOLD AND WHERE INVESTMENT IN BUSINESS, CULTURE AND LEISURE SIMPLY CANNOT BE SUSTAINED.

"LET US TODAY GIVE THAT FIRM COMMITMENT TO THOSE PEOPLE WHOSE HOMES, BUSINESSES, FAMILIES AND FUTURES HAVE BEEN SO DEVASTATED.

"WE WOULD NOT LET THEM DOWN."