Local Government Finance

Debate between Laurence Robertson and Greg Clark

Monday 8th February 2016 Commons Chamber

[Greg Clark]

May I suggest to the hon. Gentleman that he goes next door and has a cup of tea with the leader of Trafford council, which runs its services extremely efficiently? I dare say that it would be sensible of Tameside to take up any advice that the council leader is able to give.

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

May I thank the Minister for revisiting this issue? Does he accept that what all Members who represent rural areas want to see is fairness in the funding system? Although Gloucestershire may seem to be a leafy, wealthy county, there are areas of deprivation. We have flooding problems and a higher percentage of older people who, regardless of where they live, still need social care. May I ask him to ensure that the final settlement reflects the problems in rural areas as well as in other areas?

[Greg Clark]

I completely agree with my hon. Friend. I was grateful to my colleagues from Gloucestershire for the representations that they made. He will be pleased to hear that the pressure on them will ease for the first two years—it will be to the tune of about £2.5 million next year—which, knowing the pressures on the council for exactly the reasons that he said, will be welcomed locally.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Laurence Robertson and Greg Clark

Monday 14th December 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

10. What steps he is taking to ensure that new developments do not affect the risk of flooding to existing properties.

[The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Greg Clark)]

There are strict tests in national planning policy to protect people and property from flooding, which all councils are expected to follow. They include ensuring that new development does not increase flood risk elsewhere.

[Mr Robertson]

In my experience, the Environment Agency often does not object to a planning application even when the area on which building is proposed floods, and especially when other areas could be caused to flood by the development in question. Will the Secretary of State look into the agency’s policies and practice in this regard?

[Greg Clark]

I will certainly do that. I recognise my hon. Friend’s constituency experience, and, indeed, his expertise as vice-chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on flood prevention. However, the national planning policy framework states that any new application in an area of flooding risk

“must demonstrate that the development will be safe for its lifetime…without increasing flood risk elsewhere, and, where possible, will reduce flood risk overall.”

That test must be passed for the development to be permitted.