LEP to Launch Water Management Plan at Westminster
The Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership launches its Water Management Plan at the House of Commons today (Tuesday 6th September) with support from local MPs and DEFRA, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The LEP is calling for more investment in infrastructure to allow Greater Lincolnshire’s economy to grow, in terms of addressing both the risk of flooding and the reliable supply of water.
Among those expected to attend the launch are Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP, Secretary of State for the Environment; Rory Stewart MP, Minister of State for International Development and former Floods Minister; and Peter Simpson, Chief Executive Officer at Anglian Water.
The launch is being hosted at 4pm today by Matt Warman, MP for Boston and Skegness.
“Greater Lincolnshire has a particular set of challenges, including relatively low rainfall and large areas of low-lying, reclaimed farmland,” said Ursula Lidbetter MBE, Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire LEP.
“It also has a major agrifood sector which relies on effective water management and a long, low-lying coastline which is subject to flood risk – the risk of coastal and river flooding affects up to 45% of the land in Greater Lincolnshire.
“We have long recognised the vital importance of water management for Greater Lincolnshire, which is why we established our Water Management Board and a series of water for growth workshops in 2015.
“Now we’re ready to share our Water Management Plan, as we believe that the effective management of flood risk and water resources is a critical factor in enabling economic growth across our area.”
Matt Warman MP commented: “I am delighted to be able to host the launch of Greater Lincolnshire’s Water Management Plan in Parliament. The plan is vitally important to help prevent flooding in our county, while also supporting local economic growth in areas such as Boston and in making sure we have enough water for our agricultural sector.
“I commend the Local Enterprise Partnership for leading the way on this issue and look forward to helping to shape the development of the plan over the next few years.”
With 100,000 new homes planned and increased demand for water in agriculture to enable the area to reinforce its position as the vegetable and salad bowl of England, the need to secure more sustainable water supplies is clear. But, at the same time, we need to reduce the risks of flooding due to an increase in extreme weather events.
Managing these extremes is an important challenge, which is why the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership has commissioned a Water Management Plan for the area.
The plan sets out the LEP’s strategy for water management, both flood reduction and water supply. Its aim is for Greater Lincolnshire to be seen as a national exemplar for water management and to act as an incentive for investors in the LEP’s priority sectors.
The plan can be divided into three key themes: ensuring adequate water is available for growth; flood risk reduction; and education, research and training.
You can download the LEP’s Water Management Plan here.
Members of the media are invited to attend the launch but must make prior arrangements with Shooting Star. The launch takes place from 4pm to 6pm on Tuesday 6th September in Dining Room B at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA. Entrance via Cromwell Green.
Notes to Editors:
• The Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership is a private and public sector partnership led by the private sector which aims to improve conditions for infrastructure and doing business in the Greater Lincolnshire area.
• One of the first LEPs to be established in the UK, the Greater Lincolnshire LEP covers a large geographical area with a population of over one million and a diverse range of industries, from ports and logistics to farming, tourism and engineering.
• It includes North and North-East Lincolnshire and the administrative county of Lincolnshire and is controlled by a LEP board made up of leading figures in the public and private sector.
• Visit www.greaterlincolnshirelep.co.uk for more information.
• Greater Lincolnshire has been affected by a number of significant coastal and inland floods, most notably in 1953, 2007, 2012 and 2013.
• The Greater Lincolnshire LEP has developed the Water Management Plan in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders and partner organisations, shaping and refining it through workshops.
For media information please contact:
Jez Ashberry
Shooting Star
01522 528540
07780 735071
jez@weareshootingstar.co.uk
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