MURPHY AGREES TO MEET WITH LOCAL MP TO DISCUSS LLANDRINIO FLOODING PLANS

1.15.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 2nd Jul 2008

During today's Welsh Questions, Lembit Öpik, Liberal Democrat MP for Montgomeryshire, questioned the Secretary of State for Wales over the environmental impact of the proposals to flood a significant area of Llandrinio to divert water away from other areas.

The Environment Agency under the Severn Catchment Flood Management Plan has would increase the risk and frequency of flooding in the area, hugely altering the risks of flooding accepted by many residents when they first bought their riverside properties. Considering the consequences of the plan, consultation with the community has been sparse and under-publicized at many stages.

The Secretary of State for Wales has agreed to meet with local MP Lembit Öpik to discuss the quality of the consultation, and the alternatives to the proposed solution to flooding risks.

Commenting on the reply, he said:

"I'm delighted that the once closed doors of the Environment Agency's consultation are being opened by the Secretary of State.

"I look forward to discussing all the options for coping with the likelihood of the Severn flooding and I hope that he can be persuaded that a new and better consultation is needed before the Llandrinio flooding strategy goes ahead."