Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has considered increasing funding for the Environment Agency for (a) capital and (b) appraisal work for (i) upstream water storage at Bramhall Green in Cheadle and (ii) other local schemes in preventing flooding.

The proposed capital project in Bramhall Green, Cheadle was not successful in receiving a Grant-in-Aid or Regional Flood and Coastal Committee Local Levy funding allocation in 2025/26. A robust prioritisation exercise was undertaken to determine which projects should receive funding and, unfortunately did not qualify. The bidding process for projects in 2026/27 has now opened and Bramhall Green, as well as Chorlton Brook Cheadle will bid to be able to progress next Financial Year. The Environment Agency continues to work with Mersey Rivers Trust in the Cheadle area to explore additional opportunities that can be pursued in the meantime.

Nearby Poise Brook in Hazel Grove received £340k funding this year, including Grant in Aid allocation of £42,000. This was awarded to support the continuation of appraisal work and to further assess the shortlisted options. Should a viable scheme be identified through this work, it has the potential to bring significant benefits to the communities of Hazel Grove, Torkington, and Offerton Green, enhancing their resilience and providing greater peace of mind for the future.