[Margaret Pilkington]

Who did what and when does not help those who are in dire straits right now.
What matters now, is that those in power recognise that something decisive has to be done.
We wait and see what actions take place.
The cutting of flood defences is only one aspect of the problem.
As I said in a previous post there are actions which should be taken to minimise the risks.
You are never going to be able to prevent all these floods... But much more could be done.
The plain of York is a flood plain.....those residents who live there should know that.....there are other similar places where building has been permitted despite the risks. How are those people going to get insurance in the future.
The answer is they are not. In such situations then there should be some kind of government scheme which they pay into and they are insured for floods.