At the behest of the Government, the Environment Agency has now published their River Trent Flood Catchment Plan which proposes to reduce flood risk management in the Isle of Axholme area in the coming years. Effectively, the EA accept that this will lead to an increase in flood risk in the Isle. Local Conservatives took to the streets this weekend to give people an opportunity to object to the proposal.

Prospective MP Andrew Percy explains, "We took to the streets of Crowle this weekend to deliver leaflets explaining this proposal to local residents. We are very concerned that the Isle is being put at risk to benefit bigger communities further along the Trent. Any increase in flood risk could have a serious impact on house prices and the local economy. Just a few months ago a similar plan for the River Aire was announced which led to massive protests from local people in the Lower Aire region.

Once again we are seeing rural communities in the Brigg and Goole constituency being offered up as sacrificial lambs to benefit larger communities many miles away. These flood catchment plans are required by the Government who just a few months before last year's floods made massive cuts to flood defence budgets nationally.

Local people want to see more money spent on flood defences, not less. Under these proposals the Isle could lose its pumping capacity and we would see no additional works undertaken on the Trent bank to improve protection."

Andrew and the local Conservatives have launched a petition against the plan, if you would like to add your name to the petition please complete the contact form here.