Following a meeting with Nina Dawes, Chief Executive of Lichfield
District Council, and Andy Marshall the Director of the Civil
Contingencies Unit, last Friday (6th July) to discuss the recent
flooding in Lichfield District, Michael Fabricant has today written to
Tony Wray (Managing Director of Severn Trent) and Steve Morley (Area
Manager for the Environment Agency).

Michael says: "Although an unusual amount of rainwater fell recently,
it appears that this was not the sole cause of the flooding. I
understand from discussions at the meeting that contributory factors
included failure of Severn Trent pumping stations, breaches in
inadequately maintained river banks, and drainage ditches which had been
filled in over the years. In addition, there is the more general
problem of construction on flood plains. Although we cannot know to
what extent these failures contributed to the flooding,
I have now taken these issues up with Severn Trent who maintain the
pumping stations and with the Environment Agency – which took over the
role of the National Rivers Authority some years back – to find out what
steps they will now take to minimise any future flood damage.

"I am also in contact with the NFU (National Farmers Union) as I am only
too aware of the amount of livestock that were killed in the floods. I
was desperately sad to hear of the plight of sheep that were drowned.
This must have been very distressing to local farmers.