No little local difficulty
August 16th, 2007The notion that flooding in Swindon is a once in a lifetime experience has, very sadly, been proved wholly wrong by events. For the residents of Moresby Close in Westlea, to have three serious flooding episodes in four years means that there is something seriously wrong with the drainage system in West Swindon. No-one can refer to their problem as an occasional one. Imagine what it must be like to be worried about leaving the house or going on holiday, for fear of returning to flood damage? Imagine residents feelings when heavy rain is forecast? The realities of development and the way in which we are going to have to manage drainage are already with us in Swindon.
My meeting with Moresby Close resident Tony Cable, who has been helping to co-ordinate the response of local residents to this grave problem, proved very informative and helpful. My concerns about increased run-off from the Front Garden development and the lack of capacity in the Rivers Ray and Cole were intensified by my conversation with Tony. This is not a little local difficulty, but is part of a major drainage problem for an ever-expanding Swindon. The Environment Agency has a responsibility, but so has Thames Water.
I am glad to note that Swindon Borough Council are taking some action to improve the culvert and to instal a bund between it and the houses, but the Council can only do so much. Thames Water is a private monopoly. I am sure that it professes to practice corporate social responsibility, but in the eyes of local residents, their refusal to take some of the responsibility for improvements to the system is profoundly annoying.
I am all for privatisation, but without the benefits of free market competition, monopolies such as Thames Water seem to do as they like with regard to their customers. This system has to be changed, I think.
Rainy weather had meant a postponement of the LiveFest event from May to August. I went along with Cllr Michael Dickinson to see how they were getting along last Saturday afternoon. The site, which had been kindly offered by the owners of Redlands Farm, Wanborough, was a large and good-looking field that on closer inspection proved to be seriously rutted and potholed. The organisers had wanted to use the airfield at Redlands Farm, but this was already being used. I do hope that next year, the LiveFest can be held at a central location (eg Town Gardens or Faringdon Park) which can allow greater access for a larger group of people.
It was great to meet a few members of the Learning For Life scheme, that does so much for adults with learning difficulties.
