Whilst Calderdale’s agencies are working hard to respond to the threat posed by the Coronavirus, it seems strange to think that we were still in the midst of recovering from devastating floods as a valley before being thrust into yet another challenge of such magnitude.

Calderdale’s flood recovery and resilience board took place via conference call last Friday as we look to ensure essential progress on this continues, alongside our battle with the virus. Although Government focus is inevitably and rightly on responding to the urgent task of keeping people safe from this pandemic, we will not lose sight of the wins we still need to secure from Government in the long term.

Today I received a letter from Secretary of State George Eustice responding to a number of areas I raised with him in a meeting immediately after the floods. It contains some reasons to be optimistic but also provides a blue-print for the campaigns we will need to fight and win when Parliament returns.

You can read the letter in full below.