North Norfolk MP Steff Aquarone: Local knowledge is key to unlocking ongoing flooding crisis

Residents gathered at Hickling Barn Community Centre to discuss solutions with a multi-agency panel that included representatives from Anglian Water, the Environment Agency, Broads Authority, Internal Drainage Board, Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance (NSFA), and Norfolk County Council.

Steff Aquarone said that he appreciated the candour of the panellists and said that the meeting was an essential step in driving change and addressing the flood issues: 

“Local knowledge and participation are key to unlocking solutions to the flooding crisis. Everyone in this room is making a practical difference to the flood response and we must keep working together to protect our ecology, our landscape and our county. It is clear from the discussions that we are having that there are serious problems in the system and that it is not set up to allow us to address flooding issues at the speed that we need to. I will keep driving the debates and discussions both locally in North Norfolk and in Parliament to make sure that the people of North Norfolk are heard and that our precious part of the world is protected.”

Residents and panellists agreed that working together to combine valuable local knowledge with agency expertise was critical to streamlining the collective flooding response and unlocking solutions to the flooding crisis in the long term. 

Henry Cator, Chairman for the Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance (NSFA), said: “I fear that we are locked in a system that is process driven and not delivery driven. It’s only by working together that we will achieve the outputs that we all want, which is a safe and secure place for our businesses, for our residents, for our wildlife and for and our communities”. 

Paul Louth, Head of Water Recycling Networks at Anglian Water, apologised to North Norfolk residents for underestimating how strongly they feel about the flooding issue prior to meeting with them initially in January. He said that their strength of feeling led to Anglian Water making a commitment to show up for the community and ‘do the right thing, making sure that local people have a voice.’ Paul said: “The flooding problems are not going to go away overnight, but we must continue to make incremental gains and ask ourselves how we can effectively work together for long term change. 

Many residents at Friday’s meeting agreed that the water company had delivered on the promises it had made in an initial meeting in January. 

Martin, a longtime Hickling resident, said: “We rang Anglian Water up every week for 12 years and it was after the first public flooding response meeting that they came to flush our roads, giving us working toilets year-round for the first time in over a decade. Tonight’s meeting was really positive and we must stick together and do, instead of just talk. To be fair to Anglian Water, they have done something before coming to this meeting and everyone here will help if we all know what we need to do.” 

North Norfolk resident Steve agreed that the public meetings had spurred action by agencies, saying: “It’s clear that they have reacted, but the proof will be in the pudding come February, and what we’ve got to put up with in Winter. But it does now appear that the agencies are communicating well with one another and the big issues are being covered.” 

The panel and community agreed that many of these issues are systemic, and blockers to a better flood response include a lack of funding, inadequate legislation, cumbersome processes and a lack of funding for maintenance.

Panellists shared their frustrations that a lack of clarity around long-term funding was preventing them from committing to maintenance to reduce flooding. With funding being allocated for short periods of time, agencies are unable to engage maintenance contractors long term, as uncertain funding doesn’t allow the supply chain to invest in machinery or employ people to do the job. Agencies agreed that better resourcing is key to future-proofing flood defences. 

Not all residents felt that the meetings would result in solutions. Lauding the MP’s efforts to bring leaders and residents together, Diana Cornell, Chairman of the River Thurne Tenants Association, said: “Well done to Steff for bringing everyone together and trying to work together to find a solution, but unless we can physically stop the sea level from rising, I don’t think there really is an answer. I lived through the 1953 floods and I think we are fighting a losing cause.”

Aaron Dixey, Flood and Coastal Risk Manager for the Environment Agency in East Anglia, said that the meeting highlighted the challenges that North Norfolk is facing: “I’m really grateful for being asked here, it’s so important to think about the Norfolk broads, it’s one of the most special areas we have in this country and the pressure it’s been under is clear for everyone who attended tonight. We’ve seen and heard that a lot is being done to improve flood defences, but it’s the tip of the iceberg of what’s needed in the future as climate change starts to bite. We’re only going to be able to do this if we work together and build on each other’s expertise”.