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Appeal for more support in wake of floods

Chancellor George Osborne has been widely criticised for not publicly supporting the 2,000 plus businesses that were affected by the Boxing Day floods. He has also been accused of jeopardising Britain’s crumbling flood defences over the past five years by prioritising cuts to the deficit. David Shoesmith, Managing Director of Pulman Steel, said: “I want to know what the Government is going to do about the rivers in this valley and the flood defences. He added: “It would be nice at some point if George Osbourne acknowledged what has happened to us.”In April 2015, Chancellor George Osborne visited Pulmans Steel in Sowerby Bridge to talk about his “long term economic plan for our country and for Yorkshire”.

The Labour MP for Halifax, Holly Lynch has written to the Chancellor inviting him on a return visit to Pulman Steel to discuss how its situation has changed and what could be done to support it as a key player in our local economy.

Watch Hollys Speech

This is the first time it has been flooded in its 31 years at the site. Much of the company’s warehouse and office space was damaged as well as a number of wagons, machinery and 80 percent of its stock was written off. Chris Horner, finance director, said: “We are still open for business. We built our business on service and our sales team is trying to keep in touch with customers.”

We await with great anticipation for a response from the government. We hope that the interest they have taken in the past will go a long way to assisting us and businesses of Calderdale in the future.

Posted by Killian Ward
29th January 2016

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