The Flood Advisory Group held its first meeting tonight. Limited report as follows:- 1) The Environment Agency personnel did not attend as expected. 2) ECC intend to clear some gullies and check a few pipes. Some appear to be a problem because on the occasions gully cleaning is undertaken cars are positioned over them. 3) RDC Have £18k to cover all the district flood problems which will be matched by ECC so 36k. (Note :- the quote for moving a bus stop 100 metres was £70k so work out how far this sum will go after expenses for looking down gullies have been extracted). 4) Discussion on actual ownership of various water outlets. This varies but Rochford Housing are in the frame, individual landowners and Anglian Water. 5) They will be liaising with ECC to see if they can get landowners to be responsible for any problems they might be causing (no funding for action and ECC still putting together some sort of protocol for action). This was particularly addressed in regards to Laburnum Way, Rawreth Lane. 6) ECC Road works contract has apparently caused flooding off Grove Road because the contractors built adjoining roads up so high it has led to a waterfall driving down adjacent roads. (ECC Roads guy was not asked if he might have signed off the contract after this debacle!). 7) Council Hudson said he couldnt understand how some developments were allowed to be built as they were bound to flood given the lie of the land (Blowers Close and Tudor Close). Note:- RDC would have approved these developments but no comment from Head of Planning Shaun Scrutton). 8) Many roads were simply not on the list for discussion including Dawes Heath area that appears to be subject to damage due to pumping processes at the Rayleigh Weir underpass. London Road, Victoria Avenue (but mentioned by Councillor Hudson), Vernon Road, Pearsons Avenue, Canterbury Close etc. etc. No acceptance that massive development all round this area might be responsible. 9) The council do not have any programme for major drainage this is simply trying to sort out the existing drainage with small measures. (Councillor Cutmore). One idea is to change the grills on the culverts. 10) When I pointed out that Rayleigh was a 14c town that had not flooded like it has recently I was told I was making a political.point by Councillor Cutmore. It will be interesting to see what Philip Jones of the Echo writes about this meeting. He witnessed the deep anxiety of those damaged and heard their requests for action. Lets see what actually happens.
Posted on: Tue, 19 Aug 2014 22:19:11 +0000
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