Member of Parliament for Rutland and Melton, Alicia Kearns has supported Councillor Lucy Stephenson, alongside five other councillors, who have exercised their constitutional rights to call a Special Meeting of Rutland County Council to "give the local community a chance to hold the Council to account following recent floods."

A Special Meeting would, the MP has asserted, "enable a full debate in public regarding the unprecedented flood events that have taken place in the wake of Storm Henk.

"The meeting aims to better understand what actions have been undertaken by the administration following the October flooding and how this informed the response to last week's flood events."

This meeting would also, Ms Kearns hopes, "allow Councillors to consider how the mechanisms of the Council are best used, for example scrutiny to support this vital work and support the administration in the priorities they set, with clarity and clear policies for delivery at an operational level."

Cllr Karen Payne helping out following flooding in Rutland. Image credit: Alicia Kearns MP.

Conservative Councillors Karen Payne and Kiloran Heckels were out supporting communities over the last few days, and Alicia Kearns MP visited sites in Oakham and Whitwell affected by recent floods to learn more about what can be done to prepare for future floods.

Alicia Kearns, Member of Parliament for Rutland and Melton, said: "I am very concerned by the significant damage caused by recent flooding in our communities, and the lack of urgency in the Council's response.

"Rutland Councillors and I are calling for a Special Meeting of the Council to ensure lessons are learnt from the recent events, and make sure our communities are better protected from devastating floods in the future."