Letter: We need to find the cash for a much-needed flooding action plan

We have had weather like we are currently enduring many times in the past, but without the devastating flooding which is now being experienced.

There are several reasons for this, but one of the main problems is the number of people we are encouraging to come to this country and the housebuilding programme which is necessary to accommodate them.

It has been my opinion, and I have expressed it often, an immigration programme is quite acceptable providing the facilities and infrastructure are created to cope. One of the main and most expensive necessities is a massive programme to control our rainfall.

This starts with slowing the rate of discharge from our mountainous regions with proper tree-planting programmes and encouraging marsh areas in these regions where water can be dispersed slowly.

Methods have been, and continue to be, put in place to protect our riverside towns and cities but little, if anything, has been done to protect our rural areas which have been further threatened by these flood barriers.

In fact, country dwellers have been neglected, as they often are, and are now paying the price.

The houses and metal-surfaced drives which have been built, and continue to be built, by the million speed the flow of water to the rivers at an alarming rate.

Holding lakes have got to be constructed to contain and disperse rainfall safely, otherwise the problems being experienced in the Somerset Levels are going to be commonplace in many low-lying areas.

None of the remedies for these problems come cheap, so our Governments must rein in spending on other things, and cut back on the billions given away abroad.

If immigration and natural population increases as it does, then we have to start biting the bullet and properly deal with our problems.

Adrian Williams, Bratton