Category: Wokingham and West Berkshire Issues

The Government are providing a range of funding packages to help the country recover from this severe weather, and over the last week, the full set of arrangements have been confirmed. Information can be found at: www. gov.uk/government/news/uk-floods-2014-government-response.

The package of support includes:

The £37 million severe weather recovery scheme to support communities and contribute to highway infrastructure repairs in affected areas;

The repair and renewal grant scheme for homes and business providing up to £5,000 to improve properties’ ability to withstand future flooding;

£4 million of central Government funding for council tax relief for flood-affected homes;
Central Government funding for 100% business rate relief for three months for flood-affected businesses;

The £10 million farming recovery fund to support farm businesses to restore flooded agricultural land and bring it back into production as quickly as possible.

The £10 million business support scheme providing hardship funding for small and medium businesses;

The £130 million DEFRA/Environment Agency scheme for repairs and rebuilding of flood defence assets; work has already commenced on those defences with the highest priorities;

The enhanced Bellwin scheme that the Communities and Local Government Secretary announced to Parliament on 13 February.

Private sector and voluntary sector support

We are also grateful to support offered by the private sector. Banks have offered financial support to businesses and personal customers, while other businesses have given practical help. There have also been numerous generous offers of support from community groups. Government have been working to make sure that these offers can reach the areas that need them. The National Farmers Union reported the fantastic response of the farming community after setting up a centre to redistribute fodder to farmers who have lost theirs due to flooding—it has been overwhelmed by offers of support.

Enhancing insurance cover

On 18 February, Ministers met with the insurance industry to hear how they intend to help people and businesses affected by the recent severe weather. They informed us that 2,000 loss adjusters stand ready to support those flooded and we will be holding regular meetings to review progress and to find solutions to any issues arising on the ground.

West Berkshire is allowing homes affected by floods to qualify for Council tax reductions. Those with affected homes should consult the Council to see if they qualify.

After a week of extreme weather and truly dreadful flooding, I wanted to update you on the help the Government is providing to those who have been affected.

The Government will be announcing further detail on how to apply for the following schemes by the end of next week:

• For those homeowners and businesses which have been affected by flooding, we will provide repair grants of up to £5,000 per house and per business to help people build in better flood protection as they repair their homes and businesses.

• Those businesses which have been affected by the floods will get 100 per cent business rate relief for three months and will get an extra three months to pay the business taxes they owe.

• Farmers who are suffering from water-logged fields will be able to benefit from a £10 million fund which will help to restore farm land as quickly as possible. DEFRA will open applications at the end of February.

• We have also secured a total commitment in excess of £750 million from the major banks to provide financial support to business and individual customers affected by the floods.

I have also made it clear to local councils that they should not charge for sandbags in flood-hit areas – where needed, central government will pick up the cost.

We are continuing to take action across the board to ensure that everything that can be done is being done. This includes delivering extra pumps and sandbags; a commitment to dredging – including in Somerset; deploying the military wherever they are needed, with thousands already working on the ground or on standby; and providing additional support for local emergency services. We have also told energy companies to stand up the people necessary to get those homes which have lost power reconnected as quickly as possible.

And following its first meeting yesterday, the new Cabinet Committee on floods agreed a series of reviews to inform the long-term flood recovery plan so that our country is more resilient for the future:

• A review of the Bellwin scheme which provides emergency financial assistance to local authorities during exceptional circumstances, to consider whether the arrangements for providing funding to compensate local authorities for the costs of emergency measures are fit for purpose;

• A targeted review of the resilience of the transport network to extreme weather events;

• A review of investment decision guidelines on flood defences;

• An annual resilience review to consider the local, regional and national response to extreme weather situations and make recommendations for the Government’s long and short-term resilience strategy.

Amidst all of this, as is so often the case, in the toughest of times we are seeing the best of Britain. Visiting the affected areas this week, I saw the incredible hard work and dedication of our emergency services, the Environment Agency, local authority workers, councils and armed forces. I also saw the most inspiring community spirit amongst the many volunteers who are rolling up their sleeves and helping out those in need.

We want to assure all those who have been affected by this extreme weather that everything that needs to be done will be done and that the money that is needed for this relief effort will be available. We are working to get our country back on its feet and we will build a more resilient country for the future.

Detail of floods announcements

‘Repair and renew’ grant for all affected homeowners and businesses
• The £5,000 grant will provide financial support for households and businesses to pay for repairs which improve a property’s ability to withstand future flooding.
• DCLG will shortly come forward with details of eligibility and how homes and businesses can apply.

Business taxes
• All affected businesses will be able to apply to their local authority to get business rate relief for three months.
• Further detail will be announced by the end of next week on the application process and eligibility.
• HMRC will also set up a new hotline for those who have been affected by flooding and may have difficulties in meeting their tax liabilities.
• In all cases HMRC will look to offer up to 3 months additional time to pay. This will cover all taxes owed to HMRC, including VAT, PAYE and corporation tax.

£10 million fund for farmers suffering water-logged fields
• The Government will make available up to £10 million for a one-off grant scheme designed to support farm businesses to restore flooded agricultural land and bring it back into production as quickly as possible.
• The fund will also help farmers introduce lasting and sustainable flood prevention measures to help secure future production once land is restored.
• Grants will provide up to 80% of the cost of removal of flood debris from agricultural land, improving drainage, restoring access tracks, restoring grassland, longer-term planning and design of prevention measures.
• The fund will be open for applications by the end of February. We will keep the application window open for as long as possible given uncertainty around flood water levels receding.
• The scheme will be open to all farm businesses that require support but will be targeted at those areas most affected by the flood crisis.
• DEFRA will announce further details and a single point of contact (for email, post and telephone) shortly.

A total commitment in excess of £750 million from the major banks to provide financial support to business and individual customers affected by the floods
• The packages include a mixture of repayment holidays, reduced or waived fees, loan extensions, increased flexibility of terms, and additional specialist support teams deployed on the ground.
• This support is being made available to businesses, farmers and individual customers in affected areas.
• RBS have announced a £250 million interest free loan fund for affected businesses, and have extended this with an offer of repayment holidays for mortgage customers. Lloyds and Barclays have announced financial packages of around £250 million each. HSBC, Santander and Nationwide have also announced extensive programmes of support for their affected business and individual customers.

Transport announcements
• Rail resilience projects: The Department for Transport will provide £31 million to fund 10 rail resilience projects in the South West to improve resilience to flooding, including works at Cowley Bridge in Exeter. Network Rail will undertake work at the following locations: Cowley Bridge Junction; Chipping Sodbury; Hinksey; Whiteball Tunnel South; Athley – Cogload; Hele Bradninch; Flax Bourton; Patchway up Tunnel; Earthworks strengthening at Honioton and Crewkerne. Network Rail will also install rainfall, river flow and groundwater monitoring around Cowley Bridge Junction and Chipping Sodbury.
• Funding for local authorities: The Department for Transport will provide £30 million of additional funding for local authorities in England affected by the severe weather for road maintenance, including pothole repairs. This is in addition to the £3.5 million transport element of the £7 million flood recovery package announced on 17 January.
• Industry resilience meetings: The Prime Minister has tasked the Transport Secretary to work with bus and coach industry and other public transport operators to ensure that all necessary extra services are in place for the areas currently affected, and to plan for any further capacity required should the severe weather continue and affect other parts of the country.

Cabinet Committee
• The Prime Minister chaired the first meeting on Thursday. The Committee’s Terms of Reference are ‘To provide strategic ministerial oversight of policy on flood recovery and long-term resilience’.

 

Over the last three days I have been around the constituency to see where the floods are causing damage. Today the Loddon Bridge roundabout was badly affected by water, with road closed signs appearing on the motorway access and at the Winnersh lights. Some traffic did get round the junction. There are large puddles or substantial standing water across many of our local roads. The A327, our other main A road into Reading, has also been closed to the west of Arborfield.

I have been in touch again with the Environment Agency, and have sent a message through them to thank all involved in trying to keep the Pingewood and Southcote facilities working by pumping away the rising water. I would also like through this site to thank the fire brigade staff,  army personnel, the Environment Agency staff and the staff of local Councils who have been working hard over the week-end to try to abate the waters at crucial sites.

If individual constituents have problems with their own homes where they would like me to take up the issues with any of the bodies responsible, please let me know. I am currently working on a series of cases relating to surface water, river water and foul water with the water companies, the Environment  Agency and Councils.

This is the text of my reply to the latest report I have received from the Environment Agency about local flooding. I have also written to the Chairman of the Agency  seeking more action:

 

Thank you for your email. Of course I, and many of my constituents are vigilant, and are well aware of the floods to date and the risk of more floods. What we want is for  the Agency to do something to give our area greater resilience against floods when it rains. This is not a unique or one off event. Floods are now a regular part of our daily lives in the Thames Valley.

 

In my constituency yet again the main road the A 327 into Reading was closed. Sindlesham Mill road was closed. Many back roads through low lying country areas are flooded. Loddon Bridge roundabout is experiencing another build up of water. Homes in low lying areas are now badly affected in some cases, and at risk in others.

I have been asking for years for the Agency to take the following actions

 

1. Dredge the Loddon to create more capacity to take water away
2. Clear and maintain the many ditches, culverts and smaller water courses that feed into the rivers.
3. Work with the Highways Authority about clearing surface water from roads
4. Install water retention areas behind bunds for the Emm to handle excess water run off
5. Work with the Water companies over sewer outfalls, pumping and waste water disposal
6. To offer strong advice against any further building on floodplain unless accompanied by plans to manage water in a way which reduces rather than increases the risk of flooding.

 

When is the Agency going to start doing some of these things? Do you now have an action plan?  Where does our share of the our £1200 million a year budget go? I look  forward to a proper reply.

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

John Redwood

 

 

For several years I have pursued the authorities to do more to prevent and tackle flooding in our area. Local volunteers and some Councillors have also been active in seeking better response from the Environment Agency, the Water companies, Network Rail and the other main bodies involved in flood issue.

The recent row over the failure of the Environment Agency to dredge rivers and scour canals and ditches in the Somerset levels has revealed to wider public view that body of opinion in the Agency who oppose keeping river courses and other conduits clear. I have always encountered resistance to dredging or cleaning the Loddon, though it appears that the build of debris and silt particularly under and near Loddon Bridge is a contributory factor in the regular flooding of the A329 main Reading road , the cinema and related facilities.

In view of the new Prime Ministerial and Environment Secretary instructions to the Agency to do more to clear rivers and watercourses so they have the capacity to remove surplus water, I am writing again to the Agency concerning the Loddon.

 

I am told I will have a free vote soon on whether people should be banned from smoking in cars where children are also travelling.

I have so far agreed with the government’s view that we should aim to eliminate smoking in a confined space with a child present by persuasion and health education. I am now consulting on whether the government should go further and ban smoking in these circumstances.

I am always reluctant to legislate to reduce people’s freedom. The issue here is more complex as we have to weigh  the freedom of the child to travel smoke free against the freedom of the adult to smoke. The child often may have no choice in the matter.

I would appreciate constituents’ views on this to help in coming to my decision. It would be helpful to have your address to confirm you are a constituent. This can be sent to the website by reply, or to my Parliamentary email if you wish the address to be kept private.

I have received an update from the Government about their plans to support local shops and businesses:

Helping local firms and shops with business rates

As part of our long-term economic plan, we are cutting taxes for small businesses to help them create more jobs, so that more families have the security of a regular pay packet. That’s why we have introduced a series of measures to help local firms with their business rate bills:

• Small shops, pubs and businesses with a Rateable Value of less than £50,000 will receive £1,000 off their rates bill for the next two years.
• The annual indexation increase in 2014-15 bills is being capped at 2%;
• Businesses will be allowed to pay over 12 instalments instead of 10, helping all businesses with their cash flow;
• The doubling of small business rate relief, originally introduced in 2010, will continue for another year;
• Local firms taking on an extra property will keep their small business rate relief for an extra year, helping small firms expand;
• To help get empty shops back into use, we are introducing a new reoccupation relief that halves rates for 18 months for businesses taking on a long-term empty shop.

These measures will make a huge difference to many of the essential small shops and local traders we find in our town centres across the country.

The £1,000 discount for local shops, restaurants and pubs will be implemented by local billing authorities using their Localism Act powers to levy new business rate discounts, and funded by central government. We have today published some practical guidance to councils to help them ensure that all eligible firms receive their discounts.

The guidance specifies certain types of business that will not be eligible for this tax relief such as payday lenders, betting shops and pawn brokers. The discount can be used on top of the other measures to reduce business rates that will come into effect in April.

Local authorities will be reporting back their estimates of the number of firms that will benefit in their area. When I have that local data, I will send this to colleagues.

Further reforms to support high streets

In addition, we have announced further measures to help town centres, including:
• stopping over-zealous parking enforcement and unreasonable parking practices; www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-authority-parking
• a review of Business Improvement Districts;
• consultations on new permitted development rights to help get empty and redundant buildings get back into use;
• clarity on retail land reviews;
• a call for evidence on retail red tape;
Further details on the town centres package can be found in the press notice and supporting documents: www.gov.uk/government/news/eric-pickles-launches-package-of-support-for-local-shops.

Championing new technology

On 10 January, we announced a multi-million pound competition seeking innovative technology solutions in retailing, logistics, and traffic management to make our high streets more attractive to citizens. This supports the Government’s aim to promote the use of technology to modernise town centres. By exploiting new technology, town centres can adapt to better meet the changing requirements of business, visitor and consumers. More details can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/news/8-million-technology-boost-for-uk-high-streets

Working with business

The Future High Streets Forum brings together businesses, academics and local leaders to look at the challenges facing our town centres and to work with councils to build on what Government has started. The Forum’s membership has been expanded recently to embrace representatives from the hospitality, leisure, food and services sectors – all of which play a major role in the success of our high streets. We have also created a new sub-group focusing on digital high streets, chaired by Argos, which will provide a platform to consider relevant technology-related initiatives, and identify and share best practice.

Brandon Lewis MP

The Treasury issued the following written statement on the Equitable Life Payment Scheme on Wednesday 22 January.

Begins:

As of 31 December 2013 the Equitable Life Payment Scheme has made payments totalling £816 million to 717,600 policyholders. The scheme has also published a further progress report, which can be found at http://equitablelifepaymentscheme.independent.gov.uk.

Over the coming months the scheme will continue to make payments and any policyholders who have not been contacted should call the scheme directly on 0300 0200 150 to check their eligibility for a payment. To support this, the scheme has implemented a new system in their call centre which allows most policyholders to verify their identity on the telephone and thus receive any payment due more quickly, usually within two weeks.

The scheme remains committed to locating as many of the remaining policyholders as possible before it closes in 2015. In addition to the recent advertising campaign which resulted in around 20,000 people calling the scheme, the scheme has also identified enhanced methods of policyholder tracing. It is anticipated that these new approaches will result in thousands more policyholders who have not already identified themselves to the scheme being paid.

Ends

 

              UK Unemployment fell by 167,000 over the last quarter. There are 1.3 million additional jobs compared to May 2010.  The claimant count, those claiming unemployed benefits, is down to 1.25m.

               In Wokingham I am pleased to report unemployment is down to 1% or 540 people. There are jobs available. Wokingham has the eighth lowest unemployment of all the Parliamentary comstituencies in the country.