STF goes to Parliament

Real influence - April 2024

Our good friends at Slow The Flow in Calderdale are exceptional educators and influencers in the field of Natural Flood Management. With the help of Holly Lynch, MP for Halifax, they arranged a reception at The Houses of Parliament in April 2024, to speak to Members of Parliament from all parties and from around the UK.

Slow The Flow at Parliament
Slow The Flow at Parliament

Messages

They took the opportunity to set out their five key messages:

  1. More funding required for NFM. It is a cost-effective approach that provides value for money. Currently the funding model is balanced in favour of hard engineering solutions with only a tiny proportion of funding going to Natural Flood Management.
  2. All planning developments should include SuDS to manage water at a local level. This is already adopted and implemented in Wales but not elsewhere in the UK.
  3. Education is crucial for long-term understanding and success. NFM and SuDS should be included in the primary school curriculum.
  4. Green skills and expertise are necessary for the development of NFM. These roles and professions should be prioritised if we are going to build upon the knowledge and benefits of NFM. All local authorities should have NFM officers to manage projects on a local level.
  5. NFM and SuDS have a positive impact on Combined Sewer Outfalls, and the automatic right to combined sewer connection should be removed.

We don't need to say a great deal more here, as STF provides a full report of the event on their extensive website - which is well worth a visit and full of information about Natural Flood Management.

Thanks!

We do note, however, that the reception attracted the attention of Emma Hardy, MP for West Hull, who subsequently came to visit our first WWSTF NFM site at Drewton Beck - so we are particularly grateful to STF for their friendship - and for their reach!