Warwickshire News Mine

Flood alleviation screens have been fitted to a culvert at the centre of the flooding and remote upstream river monitoring stations have been installed at a cost of £60,000 by the Environment Agency.

In May, Warwickshire County Council’s Highways Team completed piping and infilling the main embankment ditch and raised the level of the retaining wall as part of the first phase of works costing £25,000 to minimise the immediate concern of flooding.

Cllr Richard Chattaway, the local county councillor, said: “I am very pleased with the multi-agency approach to this flood event. Any flooding of homes brings the misery of lost possessions and major inconvenience over many months.

"However, the joined up approach by the Environment Agency, Borough and County Council in a positive approach, identifying the causes of the flood, detailing design and securing the funding and construction of two packages of works to date, is commendable.”

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Councillor Jeff Clarke commented: “The outcomes for residents in the Delamere Road area of Nuneaton have been well received.

"I am glad that the agencies involved have come together so swiftly and responded so positively to the recommendations made by the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Panel as this has not only reduced the risk of flooding in this area but has done much to put resident’s minds at rest.”

John Buckingham, Regional Flood Defence manager of the Environment Agency, said: “We expect the £150,000 Phase III works to start next April. The works will involve the raising of the side banks of the water coarse banks between the A446 embankment and the Croft Pool culvert.

"In the interim period weekly inspections of the screens has been carried out since last January to give reassurance to residents that actions have been taken in the short-medium and longer term.”

Andrew Savage of Warwickshire Highways who acts as Strategic Flood Forum Manager for Warwickshire, said: “The flooding in Delamere Road was very sudden last December, there were a series of contributory factors, from frozen and saturated soils, to the prolonged rainfalls, and accumulated screen debris.

"It is pleasing to see so many improvements being delivered in just nine months with major works being done within potentially 18 months of the flooding.”

In Warwickshire 2,000 homes and businesses were flooded between June and July 2007. County Highways has undertaken £2m of drainage activities over the past 2 years.

The joined up work with the EA extends to developing schemes in Alcester, Broom and Wellesbourne which will be constructed over the next 12 months costing £1.6m aiming to protect 250 properties from repeat flooding.

For general advice on increasing local resilience to flooding see http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/flooding

Link to WCC