Richard Shepherd’s County Councillor’s Blog
Flooding
Flooding is unfortunately very much on people's minds at the moment.
I am in touch with Borough and Parish Councillors about the situation in Sileby, and the actions we can take. I have recently contacted the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), which is the County Council, to ask if the LLFA could help speed up a response to an enquiry Borough Councillor Lawrence had sent to the Environment Agency (EA) about the EA's plan to upgrade the flood defences in Sileby. I have also asked the LLFA for an investigation into the flooding in Cygnet Close, as requested by Parish Councillor McRae.
The most recent information available about the situation across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland is that nearly 900 homes were flooded after torrential rain and thawing snow hit the area on the night of 6th January. A month's rainfall fell in just a few days and river levels reached their highest point since records began. The EA issued a highly unusual severe flood warning, indicating "risk to life", and the national emergency alert system was used to warn residents, only the fifth time the system has ever been used. More than 160 roads were flooded.
Make space for nature
A consultation has been launched on the draft Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), which has been developed by Leicestershire County Council and partners to protect nature and allow it to recover by preserving and improving habitats and biodiversity.
The draft Strategy sets out practical actions to boost the area's wildlife and natural spaces, and the consultation is seeking comments from residents, farmers, landowners and other interested groups.
The main points include:
A "big picture" look at how habitat loss, shrinking species populations and the effects of climate change can be tackled;
The priority habitats and species that need urgent attention;
The action needed to build a healthier, more connected natural environment;
Creating space for nature to flourish while supporting local people and their livelihoods.
As 80 per cent of the land within the scope of the consultation is farmland, farmers and landowners are key players, combining sustainable food production with nature-friendly methods. The draft strategy has been created using responses given in workshops and two surveys, with more than 1,000 residents and almost 100 farmers having had their say as part of the Making Space for Nature survey last year. The most popular suggestions for action were the creation of new habitats, the restoration or expansion of existing habitats and the need to make space for nature in housing, industrial and other developments.
The County Council has been appointed as the "responsible authority" to lead on the development of the Strategy, working closely with other local authorities and key stakeholders in land management, and supporting Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) organizations. The other partners helping to oversee the Strategy are Leicester City Council, Rutland County Council, the seven Leicestershire Borough and District Councils, the Environment Agency, the Forestry Commission, Natural England and The National Forest Company.
The consultation survey can be accessed at www.leicestershire.gov.uk/lnrs-consultation
It features at-a-glance interactive maps which can be used to view projects in detail and make comments.
The consultation runs until Friday, 28th February. Responses will be used to develop the final version of the LNRS, which will be published in the Summer.
Tree planting
The County Council has been awarded a grant of £445,000 to support the Council's plan to plant 700,000 trees – one for every person living in Leicestershire. The grant has come from the Forestry Commission's Local Authority Treescapes Fund and will be used to help tree planting initiatives across the County, including tiny new forests.
The application for funding was made by the County Council on behalf of a partnership of authorities, including Charnwood Borough Council, which will be working with the environmental charity Earthwatch UK to created the tiny new forests within their districts. The money will also be used to fund the planting of trees at several other sites across Leicestershire, including replacement trees on verges and in parks and green spaces.
The County Council is now heading for the half-a-million mark in the plan to plant a tree for every resident.
More information about the Council's tree ambitions and an interactive map showing the number of trees planted is available at www.leicestershire.gov.uk/trees
Richard Shepherd, County Councillor
Telephone: 01509 413903
Posted: Fri, 24 Jan 2025