Buckingham flooding to be investigated
Bucks Council want to look at what went wrong just before Christmas
An investigation will be launched to understand the events that saw severe flooding in the north of Buckinghamshire over Christmas.
Cabinet member for transport, Cllr Nick Naylor, vowed the circumstances leading to flooding in parts of north Buckinghamshire over December 23 and 24 will be investigated by a specialist team, and which parties had a role in managing the risks would become public knowledge.
He said a Section 19 report by the Strategic Flood Management team can be expected within ten months of the tragedy, but that deadline is not fixed.
His response came after pressure to hold the Environment Agency (EA) to account was urged by fellow Buckingham councillors Cllr Robin Stuchbury and Cllr Warren Whyte.
It is understood heavy rainfall and ‘rapidly rising’ levels of the River Great Ouse precipitated much of the flooding, which saw homes inundated and people stranded in cars.
Buckinghamshire Council, Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB) and Buckingham Town Council helped to close roads, deliver sandbags and clear up the mess on ‘stretched resources’, said Cllr Naylor.
Cllr Stuchbury said:
“In light of recent flooding in Buckingham, will the council consider investigating the proposals from the EA feasibility study to consider improved flood defences in Buckingham – in particular, to provide a catchment basin to alleviate flooding within Buckingham?
“The 2003 proposals had not been taken forward following the completion of the study due to funding criteria changes in this period.
“There is now an obvious need to prevent flooding within the community of Buckingham, as Global Warming is likely to make such events occur frequently in the coming years.”
Cllr Stuchbury was backed by Cllr Whyte, who called for a Section 19 review of the river catchment.
Adding:
“Given the very late official flood warning from the EA for the…flood in Buckingham and North Bucks on 23 December, will the council ask the EA for an explanation as to what went wrong with the floodline service on that day, why reports to the EA flood incident line on that evening didn’t get a timely response or trigger action, and what will be done to reassure residents and businesses that the flood warning system will be made fit for purpose?”
In response, Cllr Naylor said the responsibility for “main river flooding” resides with the Environment Agency.
He agreed the events had ‘highlighted the risks of flooding and Climate Change’.
Cllr Naylor said the authority would ‘voice its concerns’ to the EA this week and encourage it to review the river catchment to “alleviate and manage flooding through Buckingham and the downstream communities".
He also said it would challenge the EA about flood warnings on December 23 and 24.
He added the council will also implement flood management schemes for the River Lech Natural Flood Management Project, and that it is now managing the Buckingham Natural Flood Management Project which looks at ‘small scale measures’ to prevent flood risks to Buckingham town centre.
Cllr Naylor added:
“We can assure you that the key section of any Section 19 report, including any that are undertaken for the Buckingham area, will comprise a set of recommendations for the various authorities, landowners and residents to help move forward with management of flood risks in the future."