Please see the below regarding the escalation of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council's formal complaint relating to the regulatory failure of the Environment Agency.
I share Council Leader Simon Tagg and the Council's disappointment with the response from Sir James Bevan to their recent complaint available to read here.
As I have said in my response to Councillor Tagg, the EA have been too slow in addressing this issue, and seem to be unwilling to be as firm as the situation demands. They also seem to believe their response has been above reproach. I disagree.
I'm very happy to be supporting the escalation of this complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. I look forward to speaking with Councillor Tagg, and other cabinet members at around 2pm tomorrow to discuss this as well as the Council's next steps.