The Labour Government has officially objected to a Bill put forward by Mid Bedfordshire MP Blake Stephenson which aims to help prevent future flooding in areas like Bedfordshire.
Communities across Mid Bedfordshire were badly impacted by last September's flooding, and local MP Blake has been listening to local residents and taken action to try and make a difference.
The Bill would give councils powers to reject future planning applications from developers if they have previously failed to deliver or maintain sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), and require the Secretary of State to publish statutory guidance on the minimum expected standards for SuDS.
It would also ensure a presumption against development where one of the lead local flood authority, Environment Agency (EA), or the IDB consider that development would increase flood risk for existing properties.
Conservative MP Blake introduced the Bill in the House of Commons on Tuesday 24th June and it passed its First Reading with support from other MPs, but when it returned for debate on Friday (11th July), the Government objected to the Second Reading being heard.
Despite this setback, Blake has ensured the Bill will remain on the Order Paper in Parliament and will try to get its Second Reading heard later this year.
Mid Bedfordshire MP Blake Stephenson said: "Flooding impacts communities across the country, not just here in Mid Bedfordshire, and from speaking to local people, and suffering from flooding myself, I know just how devastating it can be so it's incredibly disappointing the Government is refusing to allow a debate on my Bill.
"While the Bill won't fix every flooding issue, it would go a long way to helping prevent future flooding in new and existing developments, and to ensure proper maintenance actually happens on our drains and gullies.
"These are simple, common sense measures and I hope the Government will rethink its approach when the Bill returns in October."
