A RAINY week makes us all check the river levels. While I continue to push for better defences across the whole of York, I am pleased to see so much progress has already been made, not least with the increased capacity at the Foss Barrier.

Recently I met with residents, and it is clear that more needs to be done in protecting residents downstream.

This week I will be feeding into the Flood:Re Insurance scheme review to highlight the progress and what still needs to be done.

But additional banks, walls and barriers does not get to the heart of the changes we need to see.

I have always argued that we need to see better upland management.

I held a debate in Parliament to present evidence that academics at the University of York had produced highlighting how changing drainage, water storage, managing the land to prevent flooding, rather than in favour of grouse shooting, and planting can bring about a significant shift in the amount of water that comes down stream into York.

I met with the Woodlands Trust, and discussed the opportunities that the Northern Forest will bring, and I will be working closely with them to ensure that York really benefits from this initiative.

It is vital that planning in the city ensures that green corridors and spaces are maintained, and Labour has set this out in our response to the latest version of the Local Plan, which risks damaging our environment, rather than enhancing it, not least because it relies on old data for transport use.

Following the Paris global Climate Change Conference in 2016, we have not seen the necessary shift in behaviours needed by the Government and council to slow down climate change, so I believe we all need to act ourselves.

Four things could make a significant difference.

Energy – we must make sure that attempts to explore fracking in York are thwarted.

Campaigners in North Yorkshire have already turned Third Energy away, and we must not let Ineos embark on drilling for gas in York.

We need to ensure that planning results in energy-efficient homes being built and opportunities for renewable community energy be installed.

Labour will do this, while ensuring that everyone can afford heating and prevent damp rising in their homes.

Recycling – We should be working towards a more sustainable future. Consuming less and reusing, renewing and recycling more.

More of our household waste can be recycled other towns and cities manage to do this but York’s council can’t even get its act together with a consistent recycling plan across the city.

With Labour we will ensure York leads the way to a more sustainable economy.

Plastics – we have to end the use of single-use plastics. Manchester is to become a plastic-free city; why not York?

A plastics deposit scheme is one thing, but when plastics aren’t even collected from households, the council are failing to do the minimum.

But we can act too - by using re-usable cups, carrying a drinks bottle, rather than buying a bottled drink, and buying food with minimal packaging or writing to local shops asking them to stop them using plastics

Transport – the majority of journeys are under 1 mile.

Where possible we need to make a conscious shift to walking or cycling or catching the bus.

Labour’s plans to enhance public transport and invest in cycling and walking will transform our communities and reduce air pollution.

York has some of the worst air pollution hot spots, and this would transform our city.

Labour has an active travel policy that will ensure the public has real choice when it comes to their travel.

Labour believes York can be at the cutting edge showing how we can change the direction of climate change.

I hope you will join us as we transform our city and nation.