Flood Group Update 2012

Following the floods which affected over 45 properties in Appleton in 2007, a group of volunteers has been working with the Parish Council, the VWHDC and the Environment agency, to ensure as many preventative measures as possible have been put in place to protect our homes. Information has been provided on notice boards, the web site and in the advertiser. Personal contact has been made with each householder affected, and there has been very helpful feedback from villagers through the community action plan.

A great deal of progress has been made. Forums have been attended, grants obtained, protection equipment purchased for the village. The main problem areas have been identified and improvement works carried out. Ditches and drains have been cleared, structural work has been undertaken to replace drain pipes and culverts . Work is however continuing on the bridge at Oaksmere.

Current status.

Flood group volunteers are listed below and can be contacted by telephone. They have agreed to help out in emergency situations. There are two electrical and two petrol pumps, three hundred meters of flat hose stored on reels, all available for use in Appleton and Eaton. The volunteers have access to and can operate the pumps; they meet up twice a year for a practice run. It is clearly understood that no one should operate the pumps unless they have received prior instruction and are confident of procedures. In the event of power failure J. Mansfield, R Band and P Briggs have offered the use of their generators.

There is a reserve supply of aqua-sacs for distribution in case of emergency in addition to those already provided for householders affected by the 2007 floods. These are flat packed dry sacs which are easy to store, and which expand when immersed in water to form an effective barrier by doors and air bricks. They do not deteriorate like sand bags and have an indefinite shelf life. Contacts for access to the store of aqua-sacs are listed under Flood Group Contacts. We would like to remind householders with a supply of sacs, to check they are in dry storage, and if moving house, to kindly leave them behind for new owners.

In the unlikely event that we are affected to the same extent as in 2007, we hope the preventative measures now in place, together with much improved drainage overall, will help to protect many of the village houses from such severe flooding again. However it is important to remind villagers that ditches beside the roads are the responsibility of adjacent land owners, they should be kept clear and where they have been filled in, reinstatement should be considered as this would help to further improve drainage.

Thank you.

James Mansfield, Chairman

Sanchia Prickett, Secretary