Flood summit meeting call
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| Damage: Andy Webber,of
Earl Street, West Oxford |
A SPECIAL 'flood summit' is being convened in Oxford to
address concerns over the city's ability to deal with future
torrential rainfall.
The meeting, for which a date has yet to be set, would
allow worried residents and those concerned about the effect
of housebuilding on flooding to meet with experts for a
question-and-answer session.
Although the Environment Agency has held a recent
flooding surgery, the city council has yet to take a look at
the issue as a whole.
The Town Hall has "registered an interest" in obtaining
cash from the Belwin Scheme, a Government flood emergency
repair fund.
As yet, there is no indication as to how much money the
council would get or how it would be spent.
The summit was the idea of Carfax city councillor Paul
Sargent, who suggested an open meeting would tackle the
following issues:
Questions and statements from members of the public
How flood funding was allocated
Whether councils' emergency planning was adequate to
deal with future flooding
Housebuilding on flood plains He now needs the support
of other city councillors.
Those living in Osney Island and West Oxford were worst
affected by last month's flooding, with scores forced into
temporary accommodation. The long process of repairing the
damage has only just started.
Mr Sargent said: "Flooding is an issue that can directly
affect many parts of the city and indirectly can have
city-wide economic and infrastructure effects.
"The council should give a steer on many of the issues
that we are likely to face again in the future.
"We ought to be forming ideas of how Government money
should be spent - and people should be telling us." Last
month, on a visit to Oxford, Environment Secretary Hilary
Benn warned we would have to get used to the fact severe
weather was out of anyone's control - and that future
flooding was a distinct possibility.
Andy Webber, 54, of Earl Street, suffered damage
estimated at £15,000 when his house flooded.
He said: "This was the third flood in seven years - this
(summit) is a good idea, it's important that residents are
taken notice of."
Osney Island East Street resident Simon Stubbings, 62,
added: "The water stopped on the road, a couple of feet away
from our front door.
"I think it's essential we have a proper, co-ordinated
approach so a flood summit is a good idea. Obviously better
defences would help.
"These have traditionally been flood meadows, but they
have been disappearing.
"Last month's events were pretty exceptional, but we have
had floods in 2000, 2003 and this year - so there is a
decent chance that it will happen again."
8:54am today
