Cheltenham flood defence boost (+ comments)
A successful bid by the borough council to the Government’s civil emergency budget means it will match the cash already promised to the town by Gloucestershire County Council and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Council bosses say the money will allow them to ramp up their maintenance work and spend more on building new flood defences.
Geoff Beer, the council’s principal engineer, said: “With the additional sources of funding since the 2007 floods, we have been able to embark upon a significant flood risk management program.
“We are working closely with our partners to plan and deliver schemes that will significantly reduce the risk of such severe flooding occurring in the future.”
The floods of July 2007 caused widespread misery in Cheltenham where, despite the £22m flood alleviation scheme, some areas still succumbed as the River Chelt burst its banks. Flood experts said blocked defences were the direct cause of flooding in parts of the town.
In Little Bayshill Terrace, Keynshambury Road and parts of College Road, a number of blocked culverts, which are intended to divert the excess water, actually caused the flooding.
The borough council has since topped up its own budget for flood defence by £90,000 over the next three years.
Oak Avenue, St Mary’s School and Naunton Parade are among the areas singled out for further improvements. John Morris, cabinet member for built environment, said: “We welcome the partnership working that has shown such a remarkable amount of work carried out to protect and give peace of mind to the residents of Cheltenham.”
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Matt - Never mind the Mythe Bridge wall, the biggest outrage is that still no-one, not the EA, not the County, no-one, will look at a proper strategy for managing water in the Severn Vale. Various towns have had defences, which merely raises water levels for those that don't. What is needed is a long hard look at the whole area, hopefully resulting in getting rid of Maisemore Weir (the cork in the bottle) and replacing with a lifting structure to maintain summer levels, and the realisation that the Sharpness Canal can be used as a storm overflow to clear water from the whole area out to sea. But of course, that would require common sense, investment, and joined up thinking (as other countries manage) so of course it won't happen.commented on 28-Jan-2010 13:59
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".........a number of blocked culverts, which are intended to divert the excess water, actually caused the flooding".
There should not be blocked culverts in Cheltenham, we have sufficient workforce to keep these clear, the Magistrates Court supplies a constant flow of them.
Why can't the powers-that-be not put 2+2 together and make a solution? Get all the ones guilty of misdemeanours out on Community Service and clear the culverts.
Free labour and punishment! What could be easier.
I for one have never seen any evidence of Community Service, but there is so much they can do; clearing ditches, shifting snow, filling in potholes etc. etc. etc.
Get them showing respect for their community and perhaps the community might show them more respect as a result.commented on 28-Jan-2010 13:03 -
Webbed Feet, Tewkesbury - the ongoing saga (outrage...???) at the time it's taking to get a permanent flood wall built around the Mythe water treatment works is also a black mark against flood defence works in & around Tewkesbury, although in the Mythe's case the onus is on Severn Trent rather than the Local Authorities.
But whoever is responsible, you do have to continue to wonder just what lessons have been learnt from the summer floods of 2007...???commented on 28-Jan-2010 12:38 -
Wasn't 6 Million pounds of our council tax enough in the first place? perhaps they should update the "Welcome to Cheltenham Spa" signs and add the footnote "Proud owners of the world's most expensive hole"...?
commented on 28-Jan-2010 12:25 -
Nice to see that Cheltenham, which actually has a very small risk of river flooding (as Matt says, rest of flooding risk due to incompetent mainenance) has got its act together and got its grant, whereas Tewkesbury (big risk of river flooding) hasn't sorted it's act out and can't match fund existing schemes...roll on unitary authoritiescommented on 28-Jan-2010 12:19
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Well, it all helps. We now await the in-fighting & delays whilst the "best locations" for spending this money are identified & agreed.
In the meantime, it doesn't cost £1.6m to unblock / keep clear the existing flood defences, which (as reported) actually caused some of the flooding in 2007. Just like the roads, regular maintenance is needed on these things.....commented on 28-Jan-2010 11:34
