Gloucestershire fears flood bill will never be reality

There are fears legislation aimed at preventing the kind of floods that devastated Gloucestershire will not be passed before Parliament dissolves.

With less than seven months to the next General Election, the window of opportunity to push through the long-awaited changes is rapidly closing.

The Flood and Water Management Bill was one of a number outlined in the Queen's Speech yesterday.

It will give the Environment Agency and councils leading roles to tackle flooding and was among 14 included in the Government's final legislative programme before the General Election.

But with parliamentary time running out, few in the streamlined package are expected to become law before the election.

However Whitehall officials insist it is the Government's "firm intention" to ensure the legislation is passed before the country goes to the polls, by June at the latest.

The Bill has the added advantage of already having gone through a round of parliamentary scrutiny in draft form but there remain calls for it to be beefed up, especially in the area of planning.

Campaigners have also highlighted the need for local authorities to be properly funded in undertaking their new responsibilities.

Exact details of the Bill will not be known until it is published in the next few days.

But a Government preamble said: "We must do everything we can to stop the disruption of the 2007 floods happening again. We know in the future climate change will bring more extreme weather, heavier rainfall and increased risk of drought – but floods can happen any time. We must be ready."

Dave Witts, aged 68, is secretary of the Severn and Avon Valley Combined Flood Group and lives in Tewkesbury, which was badly hit in the deluge of July 2007.

He said: "This could really scupper the Bill. If there's a new administration I only hope it's one of their priorities because it really is urgent – especially for our area.

"And of course the problem will only get worse with climate change and plans to build more houses.

"We answered more than 160 questions over 19 pages for the consultation on this, so we hope all the effort doesn't go to waste."

During the disaster, 300,000 people were left without water for eight days.

Les Godwin is borough councillor for Prestbury, which saw more than 70 homes and businesses damaged in 2007.

He said: "It sounds like basic stuff which should've been done a while ago.

"Let's be positive, though. Hopefully it will prove to be a non-contentious Bill that will have cross-party support.

"If that's the case it has every chance of getting itself on the statute book before the General Election.

"Every effort needs to be made because so many people suffered so much."

Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood (Lib Dem) said: "It's welcome the Floods Bill has been announced in the Queen's Speech, but the worry is it's been put alongside more than a dozen other Bills, many of which are electioneering and political posturing."

"In a session that's bound to be cut in half by the election, the worry is now the Government will not find the time to actually complete the Flood Bill.

"We have been waiting far too long already.

"The steps in the draft Bill need to be implemented, and it needs to go much further.

"For instance, in areas like planning, in order to protect local communities from the risk of flooding."

Tewkesbury MP Laurence Robertson (Con) said he wanted to see the Bill introduced quickly.

But he added: "It's too weak at the moment. It does need improving."

Areas that needed addressing included house-building on sites at risk of flooding.

But a spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs said: "We do not want to delay changes that will improve protection to people's lives and property.

"Our firm intention is to work with Parliament to ensure the Bill will reach the statute book before the next General Election."