Elmbridge has been hit by the flooding caused by unprecedented weather conditions. Whilst damage has been done across the borough, properties near the River Thames - including Walton, Molesey and Thames Ditton - have been worst hit. Living in Thames Ditton, I have seen the rising river levels first-hand. I will be visiting some of the worst affected areas tomorrow.

It is difficult to give a precise number, but dozens of families have temporarily left their homes to avoid being either trapped and isolated, or inundated. There is a joint agency response, including by the Environment Agency (monitoring flood levels and issuing alerts), Elmbridge borough council (leafleting neighbourhoods at risk, calling the vulnerable, laying sandbags, setting up a relief centre in Walton) and the emergency services (especially Fire and Rescue) where evacuation is required.

For emergency contact details click here. The key numbers are:

• Environment Agency flood helpline:  0845 988 1188
• Elmbridge Borough Council helpline: 01372 474 474 (Out of hours service: 01372 466 114)

If you are affected and are struggling to get help, please don't hesitate to get in contact with me.

More broadly, these floods will inevitably now spark a wider debate about priorities within UK environmental policy. As I argued back in 2012, here, I believe we need to recognise that climate change will make extreme weather events more likely, and put more of a focus into adaptation and resilience.

I have written a piece for the Daily Telegraph today, here, making the case for an overhaul of the inefficient green subsidies and tariffs that are punishing the squeezed middle.

Today, I was given a tour of Walton Fire and Rescue Depot. Les Dodd and Paul Kenny explained how the station operates, including the mix of fire response and water-based incidents they have to deal with, coupled with the preventative side of their work in the community. I met with local officers (pictured below), and we discussed a range of matters - from the implications of the Surrey Fire and Rescue review, to the practical impact of health and safety regulation. I was thoroughly impressed with their dedication and professionalism, and very grateful for the tour and feedback.

The Royal Institute of British Architects recently predicted that climate change could transform Hull into the ‘Venice of the North’. Attractive as that may sound, I doubt residents in Elmbridge would welcome such a fate. The cold snap has focused minds on the contingency planning required, if climate change results in severe weather extremes. Given the proximity of homes to the River Mole and the Thames, in particular, flood defences are vital. In recent weeks, I have discussed contingency planning with councillors and the Environmental Agency, and visited local areas at risk (see photo below). The stark reality is sobering.

According to the Environment Agency, as of August 2008, there were almost 33,000 properties – mostly homes - at risk in Flood Warning Areas clustered mainly around the River Mole and the Thames. The Lower Thames region – from Datchet to Teddington - is one of the most vulnerable to flooding in Britain. In partnership with local councils, the Environment Agency has prepared for some of the most serious contingencies, including renovating a flood wall in Walton, and consulting on the Lower Thames Flood Risk Management Strategy.

Given the risk of severe weather conditions in the future and the clean up costs – the Environment Agency estimates that £1 spent on defences saves £7 in damage – this is welcome. The planning is not perfect. There are practical concerns over the flood diversion channels envisaged. Equally, even the Environment Agency recognise that the Lower Thames Strategy would still leave over 5,000 homes at risk. But the real problem will be delivery. The Environment Agency’s (national) Long Term Investment Strategy requires an increase in annual funding from £570 million to over £1 billion by 2035.

The bottom line is that we face a growing long-term risk of flooding, around half the resources necessary to meet it - and a particularly severe local risk in Elmbridge and the wider area. The Conservatives have recognised the ongoing need for investment in flood defences, despite the severe restraints on public spending. On 15 January, Conservative National Security Adviser, Baroness Neville Jones, launched the Party’s Green Paper, A Resilient Nation, addressing threats to national security – from terrorist attacks to severe flooding. But, reckless spending by this government over 13 years has made sound long-term investment in such contingency planning much more difficult that it should be.

Gordon Brown talks a good game on climate change at international summits. But, as Chancellor and Prime Minister, he squandered the public money now needed to deliver the Environment Agency’s strategy for flood defences in Elmbridge, the wider Lower Thames region and the rest of the country.

It is bad enough that the government wasted taxpayers’ money during the boom years - on ID cards, quangos and other expensive white elephants. But, with public debt now at a record levels and investment required for flood defences woefully low, this government’s reckless approach has exposed British homes to unnecessary risk – including thousands in Elmbridge.