The government’s levelling up agenda is already delivering change for our local community. We have seen a £21.5 million commitment to Kidderminster and we have further bids in for the Levelling Up Fund and the Community Renewal Fund.

But this week, we got yet more central government investment. For those people living around Beale’s Corner in Bewdley, the annual prospect of their homes being flooded on what now seems to be an annual basis will soon be over.

Floods minister Rebecca Pow’s visit on Tuesday confirmed that we will receive £6.3 million to build a permanent solution to the flooding on the eastern bank of the river Severn through Bewdley.

Few will have missed the news reports over the last couple of years as the temporary barriers in Bewdley were overwhelmed by the height of the water last year, and catastrophically failed this year. Although the Environment Agency put in property level protection – where each house was equipped with its own protection – the reality was that residents were trapped in their homes, unable to leave during the winter in case they needed to put up their own defences. And when the floodwaters came, these defences merely slowed the inevitable.

Securing this investment has been a model of cooperation. During the height of the floods in 2020, I specifically asked the Prime Minister to stay away, allowing the emergency services to concentrate on their jobs. Rebecca Pow visited and was brilliant in making sure everyone had what they needed. After the floods subsided, I asked the PM to come and visit and he did – straight away. On that visit, he promised to “get Bewdley done!”

Boris Johnson has been a man of his word. This £6.3 million will deliver the mix of permanent and demountable flood defences that will protect 47 homes along the Kidderminster and Stourport roads. The Environment Agency is working up plans that will deliver protection whilst maintaining the spirit of the town. All that remains is to finalise the plans and get started. Whilst not without some considerable engineering challenges, it is hoped that the work will be finished around the end of 2023. In the meantime, the EA will continue to protect residents as best they can with the existing temporary schemes.

This has been a fantastic effort, and brilliant outcome, by all concerned. Rebecca Pow has been working on our behalf solidly since she first came in 2020. The misery at Beale’s Corner will soon be over.