Flooding: The Path Forward
I started this year looking forward to the changes we would make in the year ahead.
But the beginning of this year, sadly, brought flooding again to our community. We saw heavy rain and record river levels leading to flooding.
I saw the devastation. Some of the same homes and businesses that were flooded this January were the same ones damaged just a year ago. I can’t imagine what it must be like to spend a year repairing your home, only to watch it flood again. My thoughts keep turning to those whose homes have been ruined.
My primary focus has been responding to the flood damage and continuing my work to mitigate future flooding. Thankfully, flood management was better this year. Despite the river levels being higher than last year, fewer properties were flooded.
But there is further to go. To protect our homes and businesses from flooding we must understand its causes.
Climate change has led to more extreme weather–wetter months, soggy ground, and run off from predominately undeveloped land. I made flooding prevention one of my five priorities when I was elected (as you have read in recent articles). Whilst I cannot promise to stop all future flooding, I will do everything possible to protect our homes. Since I was elected, I have worked on helping our community prepare for flooding. Locally, this started within forming constituents in flood risk areas how they could help prepare, through targeted letters and social media. I was working with the flood wardens before the latest rains and was on the ground when the floods came.
I continue to do what I can to help protect our communities. I am meeting with all the agencies responsible to help us build more resilience in the years to come. I will shortly be meeting the Minister responsible for flooding to bring some of the £2.4 billion of flood defence money to our community. If anyone needs any support with flooding recovery, please contact my office on 01509351051 or email me at Jeevun.sandher.mp@parliament.uk.
As 2025 unfolds, I remain hopeful and committed to serving you.
Dr. Jeevun Sandher MP Member of Parliament for Loughborough, Shepshed, and the Villages
