OTLEY'S MP has been involved in 'positive' talks with the Government's Floods Minister.

Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem, Leeds North West) was part of a delegation who met MP Therese Coffey last Tuesday, October 11.

The meeting, secured by MP Rachel Reeves (Lab, Leeds West), was organised in response to the Government's recently published - and widely criticised - National Flood Resilience Review*.

Also meeting the Floods Minister were fellow Leeds MPs, Leeds City Council Leader Councillor Judith Blake and the local authority's Chief Executive, Tom Riordan.

Mr Mulholland said: "It was great to have a strong Team Leeds delegation of MPs, and the Leader and Chief Executive of Leeds City Council, to strongly make the case for substantial investment in flood defences in the Leeds area.

"It was a positive meeting with the new Floods Minister. I, and we, were pleased to hear that the commitments made by her predecessor will be kept.

"We continued to press the case for real investment in adequate flood protection measures along the River Aire.

"I also raised the issues on the River Wharfe, including Otley, and made clear I would hold the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency to their commitments there, too.

"We need to see action as soon as possible to avoid the devastation caused by last year's Boxing Day flooding."

Miss Coffey said: "I want to thank MPs from the Leeds area for the constructive meeting we enjoyed.

"I am delighted to reaffirm our commitment to the people and businesses of Leeds on better flood defences for the city.

"It is great that the £45 million flood defence scheme is close to completion, and planning for the next phase is underway."

The Government's flooding review was criticised for barely mentioning the Leeds area, despite parts of the city and Wharfedale - especially Otley - being badly hit by floods in 2015.

A Leeds City Council report showed that nearly 3,400 homes, businesses, churches and sports clubs were flooded or suffered from the aftermath of Storm Eva on December 26.

*Otley's own £50,000 flooding research project, involving a collaboration between the Town Council and Oxford University, is now underway.