As we all know, the Borough is going through an incredibly testing time at the moment.
The flooding we have seen has brought devastation to the homes of local residents across Spelthorne. Flood levels have reached a height not seen since the great floods of 1947.
In the face of this crisis, people have shown great strength and have pulled together. Volunteers have come out in force to support their neighbours. This has been testament to the great community spirit that exists in the Borough. The Police, Fire and Ambulance services have been working tirelessly together, and they deserve great credit.
I have been meeting with residents over the last few weeks, and people are understandably very frustrated about the whole situation. There are questions as to why the response to the flooding was not as quick as it could have been to start with, about who is accountable for reacting in a flooding situation and about issues of communication. I share these concerns and am working hard to get to the bottom of things. I have been in regular contact with Thames Water, the Council and the Environment Agency. I have also applied to hold an adjournment debate in Parliament about flood risks and accountability.
Holding a debate in Parliament will obviously not solve the immediate problems that people are currently facing. It will, however, give me an opportunity to highlight local concerns, question the Government and get some clear answers. It is also important that we start to take steps now to ensure that the kind of flooding we have seen doesn't ever happen again.
I am determined to make sure that people get the support they need in the coming weeks and months, and I would encourage people to get in contact with my office if they need help.
Kwasi Kwarteng MP