A WYE Valley Green MP has called on the UK Government to put more effort into flood prevention following the latest deluges, which saw Monmouth’s Osbaston School forced to close on Thursday.

Recently elected North Herefordshire MP Ellie Chowns, whose consituency includes Brampton Abbott, Hoarwithy and King's Caple near Ross, has written to water and flooding minister Emma Hardy demanding that the government reverse recent funding cuts to councils, to ensure they are resourced to regularly clear drains and prevent blockages.

She claims the Government should also prioritise flood resilience “in all aspects of urban and rural planning”, incorporating this into the forthcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

And it must invest in natural means of flood management in tandem with farmers, and include this in the upcoming budget, she wrote.

No way through on Osbaston Road today
No way through on Osbaston Road last week (Beacon)

“The threat from flooding is sadly not going away, and I will continue to press the government for action to ensure our communities are resilient and safe in the face of future flooding,” Dr Chowns said.

She told the Commons on Thursday (October 17): “Sadly this week my own constituency is subject to flooding, roads and schools are closed and soil is washing soil into roads and rivers,” and called for a debate in Parliament “on the crucial issue of flood prevention and action”.

Leader of the House Lucy Powell MP said she was “sorry to hear of what’s happening in her constituency” and had “already taken note of calls for a debate on flood resilience”.

Water was out over the Monnow in Monmouth last week, with Osbaston Road flooded between the Vauxhall Inglis Bridge and Osbaston CiW School, which was forced to close on Thursday.

The school posted photos of its flooded grounds between Osbaston Road and Forge Road just before 8am and said: "URGENT: We have taken the difficult decision to close the school today following advice from the emergency planning team at Monmouthshire County Council.

"Apologies for the late notice but we have only just been informed."

Further up the Monnow Valley, Tregate and Skenfrith also suffered flooding after the river burst its banks.

A school minibus taking pupils to Monmouth Comprehensive was delayed by more than half an hour after it couldn’t get through at Tregate.