North West Norfolk MP James Wild joined key stakeholders at the Norfolk Flood and Drought Summit 2025 on January 31 at County Hall, Norwich.
Postponed from late 2024 due to the General Election, the event brought together over 100 representatives from the Environment Agency, Anglian Water, Water Resources East, the National Farmers’ Union, and the Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance (NSFA), along with leaders from flood-prone counties and community advocates.
The summit addressed Norfolk’s worsening flood and drought risks. Following the wettest winter on record, groundwater remains critically high, with Norfolk experiencing 20% more intense rainfall than the national average. Through safeguarding 13 major infrastructure projects, the production of 54% of the UK’s offshore renewable energy, and with its 11% contribution to national food output, Norfolk has drawn increasing national spotlight.
James has long championed flood resilience, advocating for better support for residents left without basic services after flooding and opposing the managed decline of coastal defences at Snettisham and Heacham, calling for continued investment in sea walls and pumping stations. Locally, he backed Anglian Water’s secondment of officers to the NSFA to improve flood response and supported Norfolk’s first natural wetland filtration system at Ingoldisthorpe, which purifies 4 million litres of water daily.
Discussions focused on solutions, including legislative reforms by George Freeman MP which James supports to tackle riparian ownership issues, empower local authorities under the Flood and Water Management Act, investment in drainage and pumping station upgrades, and expanding projects to trial nature-based erosion defences.
James reaffirmed his commitment to working with MP colleagues to push for more action in reaching more effective solutions to flood responses. Moreover, with protecting and preserving the environment a key pillar of his Plan for the constituency, the Summit was a useful opportunity to reflect on his work thus far and realign future action in collaboration with local partners.
Speaking after the event, James Wild MP said:
“Norfolk’s unique vulnerabilities demand urgent and decisive action. Our communities, infrastructure, and agricultural heritage are at significant risk due to the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. We must take action now to ensure the resilience of our county, and I will continue to champion initiatives that protect our future from the impacts of climate change.
The full-length stream of the Summit can be found here: https://youtu.be/myIa25xo_gY
