MP and councillors in Clitheroe flood defence meeting row

Ribble Valley Councillor for Whalley and Painter Wood Mark Hindle and Ribble Valley North East's County Cllr Ged Mirfin are campaigning for the Environment Agency to stump up £20 million to protect Whalley and nearby Billington.

They claim if the government body can find £19m to boost flood defences in Padiham, it can do so for Ribble Valley villages hit by floods in February 2020 and on Boxing Day 2015.

Cllrs Mirfin and Hindle have accused Mr Hinder of refusing to meet Billington and Whalley Flood Action Group director Andrew Ronnan in the villages to discuss the details of its proposed flood protection measures.

They claim the Labour backbencher offered him "either 10 minutes in a constituency surgery in Colne or a similar slot in Sabden".

Jonathan Hinder said flood defences are a priority for him Mr Hinder called their claims "laughable" and said he is in contact with Mr Ronnan and improving flood defences in the valley is a priority.

Mr Mirfin said: "This strikes me as being extremely rude, particularly when as an election candidate Mr Hinder attended a flood meeting organised by myself and Whalley and Billington FLAG when more than 140 residents heard him promise that tackling the problem of flooding would be one of his key priorities if elected to Parliament.

"Well, he now has been. Unfortunately, he is gaining the reputation as the missing MP."

Cllr Hindle claimed Mr Hinder held a surgery in Whalley "which no one heard about and was only advertised to Labour members", adding he and Cllr Mirfin were "not invited".

However, Mr Hinder shared details of the surgery, which took place on September 26, and how to book a slot, on his social media pages, plus further surgeries in Colne, Trawden and Sabden.

Ged Mirfin wants flood defence cash for Whalley On Cllr Mirfin and Hindle's claims, Mr Hinder said: "This is laughable from the Ribble Valley Tories.

"Many residents have commented on how active and visible I have been, running regular surgeries for all in different parts of this sprawling new constituency.

"I now have two constituency offices, one in the centre of Colne and one in the centre of Clitheroe, though they are not yet open to the public pending security installation.

Cllr Mark Hindle falsely claimed a constituency surgery in Whalley had not been publicised "If local Tory councillors would like to contact me, they need only pick up the phone or send me an email, just like everybody else.

"There are obviously a huge variety of different priorities to consider across Pendle and Clitheroe, but protecting Whalley from flooding is very much one of those.

"I am in touch with Andrew at the Whalley and Billington FLAG, and I am looking forward to meeting him again after the Budget on October 30.

"I will also be working with my fellow Labour MP, the Ribble Valley's Maya Ellis, on improving flood defences so we never see a repeat of Boxing Day 2015.”