In the years since the EA were formed in 1996, they do not seem to have made much progress.

Admittedly they have equipped themselves with very fine accommodation at our expense. They now inhabit warm, dry, safe offices but their £110m world class, award winning Jubilee River project remains an unfinished and continuing embarrassment.

The saga of this monument to the sub-standard design and construction of a new flood channel did not end with £5m in repair costs and a £2.75m out-of-court settlement. In addition to a capacity shortfall, the existing arrangements are ideal for algae production and the consequential hazards.

Surely any environmental and recreational enhancements cannot compensate for significant variation in the cost/benefit calculations and any increased probability of downstream flooding.

To make matters worse, the urgent Myrke embankment rebuild at a cost of £1.3m in December 2004 is still degrading. The turf protection is disappearing fast thus exposing the geo-textile reinforcement to the elements, resulting in a reduction in the protection safety factor. The failure of the Myrke embankment bend radius to meet design recommendations is now apparent for the world to see via Google Earth.

Why are the individuals responsible for this fiasco not held to account?

While the EA are happy to consult on the new Lower Thames Strategy (three new channels at around £300m) they demonstrate an unwillingness to maintain the conveyance capacity of existing watercourses that are their responsibility.

Legislative compliance is mandatory for the EA, therefore the Flood Risk Regulations 2009 and the Flood and Water Management Bill (currently under consideration) will keep them occupied for some time.

I live in hope that with the existing economic problems and an Election imminent, maybe the Defra mammoth will come under the spotlight.