How much longer do we have to wait?

11:50am Friday 25th July 2008

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COVINGHAM residents have demanded to know how long they must wait before their homes are safe from flooding.

The Dorcan Brook Flood Victims Support Group has presented a petition to council leader Rod Bluh and chief executive Gavin Jones.

The petition, which has been signed by more than 200 people, urges the council to put pressure on the Environment Agency to do more to solve the problems of flooding around the brook.

At Wednesday night’s cabinet meeting representatives of the group asked Coun Bluh how long they would have to wait to feel safe in their homes.

They feel that the magnitude of water carried by the brook is not being recognised by the three organisations responsible for flooding alleviation in Swindon.

Coun Bluh said: “In principal we would support any action which would alleviate flooding.”

Coun David Renard, whose Haydon Wick ward is now subject to an £8m flood alleviation project, said the residents needed to keep reminding the bodies responsible.

He said: “I think the situation in Haydon Wick shows that the best way to proceed is to keep the pressure on the three organisations responsible for flood alleviation.”

Covingham councillor Phil Young agreed.

He said: “I am aware of the problems and have been down to see them.

“It is important to keep the pressure on the Environment Agency.”

Coun Nick Martin, the lead member for resources, said that the council had received relatively little money for helping those affected by flooding.

Speaking after the meeting Gareth Hawkes, whose home has been flooded three times, said he feels the brook has been ignored in favour of higher profile flooding areas.

He said: “A lot of attention has been focussed on the River Cole, but when you consider that the Dorcan Brook takes all the water coming from Coate Water you can see that it is a major waterway.

“We are so frustrated that nothing is being done to solve this.

“The reason we were nearly flooded again this year is simply down to mismanagement of the waterways.”

The petition is asking for the Environment Agency to widen the culvert under the Wanborough Bridge and for the flood storage area, which constantly fills with litter, to be removed.

Gareth said: “We are hoping that with this petition we can get a higher profile for the problems of people around the Dorcan Brook.

“It is important to separate the problems of areas like Peregrine Close and those of Dorcan Brook.”

Another petition by Bittern Road residents about sewage drain repairs is set to be delivered to the mayor of Swindon in the next few weeks.