Good news for Thame flood victims

RESIDENTS of Cedar Crescent, Thame, who had to leave their flooded homes last month, received some reassurance from Thame Town Council recently.
At a meeting of the town council?s Policy and Resources committee, councillors heard that the area where the flooding took place, adjacent to the Cuttlebrook Nature Reserve, is officially listed as ?low risk? which means that those affected will not be penalised by their insurance companies when they come to re-insure their properties.

Also, it was reported that the council had been in contact with the Environment agency who will be directing a major clearance of the Cuttlebrook and an examination to see if it is functioning properly, on August 2.

The Chairman of the Policy and Resources committee, Cllr David Dodds, said today that other ?riparian? owners of land in the area are to be approached, which could include Berkeley Homes and Robin Gibb, to make sure they are fulfilling their responsibilities in keeping water courses clear of weeds and other debris.

The Highways authority is to carryout clearing operations underneath the Oxford Road bridge and the Crendon Road footpath bridge, which may have contributed to the flooding last month.

At the recent Policy and Resources meeting, Cllr David Laver asked if the drains from Lord Williams?s school and the Chiltern Vale development were of adequate size.
Cllr Dodds replied that he did not think the drain size was of any consequence and that the main problem was the overspill from ditch at the back of the Cedar Crescent homes, over and above all the vegetation in the brook.

The Clerk, Helen Steward, said that the agency has indicated to her that the idea of a fishing lake, first muted over three years ago, was a good one because it could act as a balancing pond in times of heavy rain fall.

The council also intends to talk to the owners of Thame park to see if anything can be done with the lake there, which is up-stream from Cuttlebrook, to help the situation.

The idea of sluice gates for Cuttlebrook was discussed but dismissed as ?more costly than its worth.?

Photo: One Cedar Crescent garden under 14 ins of water after torrential rain hit the area in June this year.