A PLEDGE by ministers to keep Lyth Valley’s drainage pumps working until the end of 2020 while their long-term future is decided has been welcomed by local farmers and politicians.

The Environment Agency originally planned to stop funding the pumps last June; but following pressure from landowners and South Lakes MP Tim Farron, the Government agreed to pay for them until June 2019.

This has now been extended for a further 18 months until the end of December 2020 to give time to establish a permanent arrangement for keeping thousands of acres of farmland in the Lyth Valley drained.

The new arrangement is expected to be in the form of a locally established Water Level Management Board. However, to set up such a board requires an amendment to the 1990 Drainage Act for which parliamentary time has to be found.

Lyth Valley farmer and county councillor Jim Bland said this was necessary to avoid the risk of a legal challenge to the establishment of a new board.

“It takes time to get the required legislation through Parliament and that is slowing us down, so this decision by the Government to keep paying for the pumps is welcome.”

Cllr Bland said the commitment was made following a visit to the Lyth Valley by two Defra civil servants.

He added: “We have been working closely with the Environment Agency on this and they have been very helpful.”

The decision was also welcomed by Mr Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, who said he would continue to campaign for the Government to commit to funding the pumps beyond 2020.

“This is a massively important victory not just for the Lyth Valley, which will continue to be protected by these pumps, but also for our wider community, which the government had tried to slap with the bill for this vital work,” said Mr Farron.

“I am pleased the government will fund the pumps until the end of 2020, and will continue to put pressure on them to continue beyond then.

“The pumps are of strategic importance to South Cumbria. The floods last winter were devastating for this area, but without the pumps it would have been even worse.”