Open letter to Emma Hardy MP, Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Cllr Jilly Julian is calling on Government to provide urgently needed resources for those impacted by the recent devastating flooding.

Open letter to Emma Hardy MP, Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Dear Emma Hardy MP,

As you know, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day saw extreme rainfall impacting across the North-West. The geographical features of Stockport means that we are particularly susceptible to floods and we felt the devastating impact of record breaking rainfall and river levels.

A significant amount of damage was caused by the flooding - businesses have closed and hundreds of residents have had to leave their homes, some of which won’t be habitable again for
months.

I understand that whether the Flood Recovery Framework is activated, thus enabling critical
financial support, is a ministerial decision – one that was taken in 2019, 2023, and in 2024.
Without that decision, and the funding it makes available, councils simply cannot afford to provide badly needed relief. However, despite the widespread devastation across our borough, we have received no correspondence from central Government as to why this support has not been
triggered.

Therefore, on behalf of the residents and businesses of Stockport, I believe it’s imperative to make two asks of you and your Government.

Firstly, I’m keen to know why you chose not to activate the Flood Recovery Framework following
the 1st of January 2025, and provide much needed crisis relief in an already challenging financial climate.

Secondly, in the absence of this funding, will you provide urgently needed resources to help those residents and businesses who are in dire need of central Government financial support?

I look forward to your reply,

Yours sincerely

Councillor Jilly Julian
Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources