Agenda item

Flood Defences

It was moved by Councillor Julie Gledhill, seconded by Councillor Lewis Dagnall, that this Council:-

(a)       extends its sympathy and support for the people across the country affected by severe flooding over Christmas and the New Year;

(b)       notes that flooding is becoming the new norm in Britain, and recalls the flooding of Sheffield in June 2007 in which two people tragically died and millions of pounds worth of damage and disruption was caused;

(c)        understands that Sheffield’s geography makes it vulnerable to flooding, and recognises that the city is in need of extra flood defences to better protect homes and businesses;

(d)       therefore welcomes the current Administration’s plans, developed in partnership with the Environment Agency, to develop a comprehensive flood management capital programme involving five new major schemes which will provide protection for 6,000 homes and more than 1,700 businesses;

(e)       is, however, concerned that the Government has so far earmarked only £23 million of the £43 million required to build the defences;

(f)        notes figures from the National Audit Office which show that investment in flood defences delivers £9.50 in benefits per £1 spent;

(g)       notes that the Leader of the Council has recently written to the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer calling on the Government to meet the £20 million shortfall in funding so Sheffield can get the flood defences it urgently needs; and

(h)        notes that the current Administration has developed one of the largest flood protection programmes in the country and is committed to protecting Sheffield from flooding.

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Brian Webster, seconded by Councillor Aodan Marken, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

1.        the addition of a new paragraph (b) as follows and the relettering of original paragraphs (b) to (h) as new paragraphs (c) to (i):-

(b)        believes that climate change makes extreme weather events, including severe flooding, significantly more likely and agrees with the officer report establishing the Green Commission that “climate change is the biggest challenge facing our civilisation”;

2.        the addition of new paragraphs (j) and (k) as follows:-

(j)         further notes that the report from the Green Commission is still awaited; and

(k)        calls on the Administration to set a date for the release of the report.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was negatived.

The original Motion was then put to the vote and carried, as follows:-