Jane Nower - 8-Aug-2007
- Technical experts from the Environment Agency
will be available to talk with local residents
in Abingdon on Thursday 9 August 2007 following
recent floods in the area.
The flood surgery will offer people the chance
to ask the Environment Agency’s Flood Risk
Management team questions about floods and
how they are predicted and managed. The event
from 4-7pm at the Guildhall, Abbey Close,
Abingdon OX14 3JE - will also give details
about the Environment Agency’s warning system
Floodline, which can be reached on 0845 988
1188.
Members of the Environment Agency’s operational
team will also offer advice on how to deal
with flooded properties and cleaning up after
flood water recedes. Geoff Bell - area flood
risk manager: "We wanted to react quickly
to the flooding that occurred in Abingdon
by holding this flood surgery as soon as possible.
We would encourage people in the area to come
along and chat with our experts one-on-one
to try and allay any fears they might have.
"The meeting should also offer an opportunity
for us to take on board any suggestions for
working together with the community in the
future."
Over fifty communities in Berkshire and Oxfordshire
were touched by the flooding and as such a
further surgery will be taking place in Oxford,
at the King's Centre, Osney Mead, Oxford,
OX2 0ES. Surgeries have already been held
in Pangbourne in Berkshire and Witney in Oxfordshire.
The Environment Agency will also work with
local authorities and parish councils in other
areas throughout the year to inform and advise
residents on flood management issues.
Ends
Notes for editors
The following experts will be on hand for
media interview from 3.45pm at each surgery:
Abingdon: Guildhall, Abbey Close, Abingdon
OX14 3JE
Geoff Bell - Area flood risk manager
Russ Knight - Planning and corporate services
manager
Jo Larmour - Environment manager
Oxford: King's Centre, Osney Mead, Oxford,
OX2 0ES
Russ Knight - Planning and corporate services
manager
Geoff Bell - Area flood risk manager
+ More
Environment Agency plans flood improvement
package for Belford
Francesca Glyn-Jones - 8-Aug-2007 - Staff
at the Environment Agency will be carrying
out £600,000 of flood improvements in
Belford and work is due to start this year.
The improvement package looks at new ways
of reducing flood risk and some of these proposals
will be piloted for the first time in England
and Wales.
The package includes installing trash screens
to prevent blockages in the stream which runs
through Belford, altering the channel to maximise
its capacity, and working with farmers to
help slow the flow of water down the river
catchment.
The improvement package is being funded by
the Northumbria Regional Flood Defence Committee’s
local levy which is raised by local authorities
in the North East, and managed by the Environment
Agency.
Levy manager Peter Kerr said: “Our climate
is changing which means that extreme weather
will become more frequent in the future. We
need to find new ways of dealing with our
streams and rivers rather than only trying
to wall up the water with flood defences.
“We are using levy money to fund some innovative
improvements which will help to strengthen
flood protection in the town. However flooding
will become more of an issue in the future
and everyone needs to take steps now to protect
themselves.”
One of the pioneering proposals will look
at how the corners of fields upstream of Belford
can be used as wet areas so that surface water
drains away more slowly.
Staff will be looking at how they can alter
the tight bends in the channel to increase
capacity and to help water flow better through
the town.
They will also be introducing a flood warning
scheme to the area so that residents and businesses
signed up to the service can receive an alert
if flooding is expected.
Gauging equipment has been installed on many
larger watercourses across the region which
helps officers to assess river levels and
the likelihood of flooding. The Belford plans
will see similar equipment installed on the
town’s stream.
Initial ideas for the improvement package
have been identified, and staff will be talking
to Belford Parish Council and the community
in the next few months to firm up these proposals.
They hope to start some of the channel and
flood warning work later this autumn.
The Environment Agency is responsible for
flood protection from main rivers and certain
designated smaller watercourses.
It is not responsible for surface water or
drainage flooding, however staff will be liaising
with Northumbria Water, and the local authority
to make sure that all the agencies are co-ordinated
in their work to improve the situation in
Belford.
This year the levy is funding £2.1
million of flood schemes in Northumberland,
County Durham and Teesside.
These schemes are ones which either may not
be eligible for national funding, or enhance
parts of schemes which are nationally funded.
They are also projects that have great local
importance to smaller communities and the
Northumbria Regional Flood Defence Committee.
