The new Reform leader of Essex County Council, Councillor Peter Harris needs to urgently clarify his comments about scrapping the county council’s climate action plan.
That plan allocates millions of pounds for flood protection in Essex. The county council in fact, has specific responsibility for preventing surface-water flooding in Essex. It is also a key partner with the Environment Agency in preventing coastal flooding.
Councillor Harris’ attempt to deny the significance of climate change flies in the face of what is already happening in the UK. Heavy rainfall events causing surface water and river flooding are now occurring twice as frequently as they did during the twentieth century.
While as the graph shows, sea level around the UK has risen by 30cm since 1900. This is primarily due to the thermal expansion of sea water – warmer water having a slightly larger volume than cooler water.
Even more significantly, sea-level has risen by 17cm since the 1953 floods which led to 325 people drowning, 120 of them in Essex – which was by far the worst-hit area. That means there is now an urgent need to raise the height of the sea walls built immediately after that disaster.
Ironically, one of the last acts of Essex County Council before it is replaced by the new Essex unitary councils on 31 March 2028 will be to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the 1953 floods.
For Reform to cut flood defence spending in such circumstances would be as reckless as cutting defence spending in a time of war. Councillor Harris needs to urgently confirm that he will protect flood defence spending in Essex.
Dr Martin Parsons
Colchester City Councillor for Mersea and Pyefleet (Cons)
That plan allocates millions of pounds for flood protection in Essex. The county council in fact, has specific responsibility for preventing surface-water flooding in Essex. It is also a key partner with the Environment Agency in preventing coastal flooding.
Councillor Harris’ attempt to deny the significance of climate change flies in the face of what is already happening in the UK. Heavy rainfall events causing surface water and river flooding are now occurring twice as frequently as they did during the twentieth century.
While as the graph shows, sea level around the UK has risen by 30cm since 1900. This is primarily due to the thermal expansion of sea water – warmer water having a slightly larger volume than cooler water.
Even more significantly, sea-level has risen by 17cm since the 1953 floods which led to 325 people drowning, 120 of them in Essex – which was by far the worst-hit area. That means there is now an urgent need to raise the height of the sea walls built immediately after that disaster.
Ironically, one of the last acts of Essex County Council before it is replaced by the new Essex unitary councils on 31 March 2028 will be to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the 1953 floods.
For Reform to cut flood defence spending in such circumstances would be as reckless as cutting defence spending in a time of war. Councillor Harris needs to urgently confirm that he will protect flood defence spending in Essex.
Dr Martin Parsons
Colchester City Councillor for Mersea and Pyefleet (Cons)
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