Witney News - Over 1m for flood relief since 2007

Over 1m for flood relief since 2007

Since 2007, when West Oxfordshire was hit by devastating floods, the District Council has successfully obtained over 1m external funding for a continuing programme of flood protection work.

This money has enabled West Oxfordshire District Council to work with their partner agencies (Oxfordshire County Council, Environment Agency, Thames Water and DEFRA) to progress flood defence schemes and legislative changes.

Cllr David Harvey, Cabinet Member for the Environment said, "Recent flooding in other parts of the country have been a stark reminder of what West Oxfordshire went through 5 years ago. It is not an event we want to experience again, which is why we have worked tirelessly to bring about improvements. I am very proud of our engineering team and what has been achieved in our district and we will continue to do whatever we can to further support communities in whatever way we can."

This money has enabled 19 schemes to take place in towns and villages across the district and further work is planned at Alvescot, Curbridge, Colwell Brook, Shilton and Brize Norton, which will involve a spend of over 200,000.

Photograph of recent flood prevention work on a scheme to help reduce the risk of flooding in Brize Norton, Bampton and RAF Brize Norton.

From left to right Keith Glazier - Chair of Brize Norton Parish Council, Laurence King - Principal Engineer at West Oxfordshire District Council and David Hawkins, Chair of the local Flood Prevention Group representing the villages of Aston, Bampton, Black Bourton, Brize Norton and Clanfield.

Other projects and funding requests in the pipeline include:

- A bid for 130,000 to carry out work in 2013 at Kelmscott and to fit property level protection to individual properties in the district.

- West Oxfordshire District Council is also using Section 106 money received from housing developers to fit water flow controls on the Madley Brook at Witney.

In addition to specific schemes, each year the Council clears ditches on land it is responsible for and works with landowners to ensure that their ditch clearance and maintenance work is carried out.

Background and further information

On the 20 July 2007 large parts of the south of England were subjected to intensive storms. RAF Brize Norton's weather station recorded 126.2mm of rainfall, the highest level since records began. In West Oxfordshire 1,631 homes and 72 businesses were flooded and many roads and bridges became impassable.

As a consequence West Oxfordshire District Council undertook an in-depth investigation into the causes of flooding and what flood protection improvements could be made. This resulted in the production of a number of Town/Parish Flood reports in consultation with local people, landowners, town and parish councils and the key agencies and organisations, which outlined the responsibilities of the District Council, Environment Agency, Oxfordshire County and Thames Water.

The Council has also secured funding as detailed above to implement some of the flood protection schemes identified.

Flood alleviation projects already carried out in West Oxfordshire:

Asthall - flood protection for ten properties with a grant of 57,000 from the EA, received December 2010.
Bampton - flood protection for nineteen properties, 112,500 from DEFRA/EA in February/October 2010.
Bampton (Weald) - construction of new drainage pipeline, highway drainage improvements and new attenuation area. 50,000 from DEFRA/EA in August 2010.
Bladon, Grove Road - flood mitigation works completed in 2012.
Brize Norton - 30,000 from DEFRA/EA in August/November 2010 to survey watercourses and design a solution to alleviate flooding. A further 40,000 from the EA towards the construction, completed in 2012.
Broadwell and Kencot - a total of 80,000 received in August/ November 2010 and May 2011 for work including a survey of existing culvert through the villages, construction of two flood relief culverts. Planned work includes the construction of a flow control and attenuation area upstream of Kencot house.
Cassington - construction of new flood defence bund on Cassington sports field, Re-grading of ditch system and enhancing of existing flood storage pond. 20,000 from the EA in May 2010.
Clanfield - property level protection for 25 properties in 2012.
Filkins - construction of a flood defence bund and holding pond. 25,000 from DEFRA/EA in August 2010.
Fordwells - creation of new highway run-off attenuation area, repairs and improvements to highway drainage and construction of granular soakaway. 30,000 from DEFRA/EA in May 2010.
Leafield - creation of a swale and pipeline is now complete, 30,000 from DEFRA/EA in May 2010.
Kingham - flood mitigation works completed in 2011.
Milton-under-Wychwood - six properties in line for flood protection, 25,000 from the EA.
Minster Lovell - flood mitigation works completed in 2011.
North Leigh, East End - flood mitigation works completed in 2012.
Ramsden- new highway drainage leading to a new ditch across farmland to protect the centre of the village. Grant of 40,000 was received in December 2010 from DEFRA/EA.
Shipton-under-Wychwood - bund built in 2010 with 65,000 from DEFRA/EA.
Westwell - flood relief culvert from the Shilbrook installed in November 2010, 3,160 funded by the District Council.
Witney, Burwell Meadow - construction of a new flood defence bund on Burwell sports field. 25,000 from DEFRA/EA in August 2010.
Witney, Eastfield Road - flood protection for ten properties, 57,000 from DEFRA/EA July 2010.
Witney, Madley Brook - survey and design of flow controls, with 25,000 from DEFRA/EA in August 2010. A further 27,000 funded by the District Council to start construction in August 2011.
Witney, Queen Emma's Dyke - flood mitigation work completed 2012.

The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 is being implemented in stages. New responsibilities for flood prevention and investigation have now been implemented and placed on Oxfordshire County Council as the lead local flood authority.

West Oxfordshire District Council is still working closely with Oxfordshire County Council through agency agreements for watercourse protection and being part of the flood defence strategic panel. West Oxfordshire District Council continue to carry out local flood defence schemes, using grant aid from DEFRA and the EA.