Floods spark war of words

3:00pm Thursday 14th August 2008

 

FORMER York council leader Steve Galloway says work is being done to tackle flooding problems in the city.

He hit back at opposition councillors who claimed not enough was being done, saying those who complained had not raised concerns when they had their chance earlier in the year.

Coun Galloway said York’s old drainage and sewer systems coped well in most weather, but could become overloaded in “extreme conditions”.

He said City of York Council was working with other organisations to see how the drainage issues in the York area could best be tackled together.

He said: “This action is in line with the Pitt Report which is recommending to Parliament that local authorities be given more power and duties in order that they can lead on the management of local flood risks, with support from the other relevant organisations.”

Coun Galloway was responding to concerns raised by Labour councillors last weekend, following the flash flooding on Wednesday, August 6.

Councillors Sonja Crisp and Ken King said the Liberal Democrat-led council was not proactive enough in tackling the city’s drainage problems.

But Coun Galloway said neither Coun King nor Coun Crisp had taken part in a consultation earlier this year on which areas needed addressing, when an extra £200,000 was put towards drainage issues.

He said 15 of the city’s 47 councillors had suggested areas, but nobody mentioned Balfour Street, the street highlighted last week by Coun Crisp.

Coun Galloway, the council’s executive member for city strategy, said there were different sewer systems. He said: “In York, many systems were constructed pre-1930, are combined systems, and have evolved over the years rather than be designed. Combined systems work well in normal and even some storm conditions. However, in extreme conditions they can quickly become overloaded and effluent escapes at a number of low points, such as gullies, and causes flooding.”