The MP for West Worcestershire is urging the county council to take control of a flood defence scheme from Severn Stoke.

Dame Harriet Baldwin met with Worcestershire County Council leader Simon Geraghty and chief executive Paul Robinson in January, asking them to work with the Environment Agency to secure a contractor for the project.

She voiced this in a formal letter to the council in April, recommending that they handle the scheme's implementation.

Additionally, the MP expressed her frustration about the stalled development due to budget disagreements with the Environment Agency's contractor.

Earlier this year, Dame Baldwin spoke with the Environment Agency's chief executive about these issues.

She now plans to meet Flooding Minister Emma Hardy to gain support for the council project.

Dame Baldwin said: "The current pause on the Severn Stoke scheme is extremely frustrating and local people have shared their concerns with me about their lack of confidence in the Environment Agency.

"I’ve been speaking to Worcestershire County Council for six months to ask them to step in.

"They have their own contractors and could do the work on the bund in parallel with their own work to raise the road which will cross the new bund.

"This is a logical next step and while the Environment Agency will still be part of the project, the work should be done by a team on the County Council contractor framework.

"I am grateful that the county council has taken this approach and hope that the project will get back on course as quickly as possible."