A think tank that will look at flooding issues in Leighton is to get a local representative after lobbying by town councillor Mike Bishop.
The Planets ward councillor has welcomed the news that town and Central Bedfordshire Councillor, Brian Spurr, has been appointed to the group.
“ I was dismayed when I heard that Central Bedfordshire’s representative on the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee was a councillor from the far side of Bedfordshire.” said Mr.Bishop. “Now that we have a councillor who both represents and lives in the town I am more optimistic that the concerns of my constituents living close to the Clipstone Brook will be addressed.”
For years residents have been told that the Environment Agency intended to construct a flood storage area upstream to protect Leighton’s built-up areas.
In June 2011 a resident and MP Andrew Selous were told that the scheme was ‘progressing’.
“The proposal has now been abandoned and several residents have contacted me to express their concern that the proposed development east of the town will increase the risk of flooding.
“The developers’ original drainage proposals for that scheme only spoke of ‘not making matters worse.’ That is clearly not good enough.
“ I have contacted both the Environment Agency and Central Beds Council to ensure that they are co-ordinating their work on analysing the developers’ drainage proposals to make sure that they are designed not just to cope with their own drainage but to reduce existing problems”.
EA is in the process of updating its flood risk map which should take some properties out of the ‘at risk’ category. It also proposes to hold a public exhibition in the next few months to discuss problems with residents.