THE COTSWOLD MP has promised action after a myriad of issues about flooding in the Cirencester area were raised at a recent meeting.

Around 35 concerned residents and representatives from local authorities and agencies - including Cirencester Town Council, Gloucestershire Highways, Cotswold District Council, Gloucestershire County Council Lead Local Flood Authority, Thames Water, Environment Agency - attended Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown's flood meeting at CDC's Chamber on Friday, November 24.

A similar meeting was also held at Redesdale Hall in Moreton-in-Marsh in the morning.

Several concerns were raised by residents living in Poulton, Fairford, South Cerney, Kempsford, and Somerford Keynes who are regularly affected by the floods.

Among the key concerns discussed were the Fairford Sewage Treatment Works, Thames Water's promised upgrades and the £22 million investment which has been earmarked for Cirencester which indicates a commitment to infrastructure improvements in flood-prone areas.

Nature-based solutions such as leaky dams were proposed for problematic areas such as Daglingworth.

Many participants agreed that involving CDC Forward Planning officials in future flood meetings was a good idea to help integrate expertise from multiple domains, ensuring that flood management strategies align with broader development plans.
 
Commenting on the meeting, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP said: “I have held these half-yearly flood meetings for ten years and they really do produce results, because individuals and groups who have suffered flooding problems are able to attend and openly raise their flooding issues directly with the relevant agency who are able to do something about it. 

"On November 24 we held the two public meetings and on the following Monday I led a Public Accounts Committee hearing of Ofwat and flood defences where I was able to directly raise issues that had arisen from our Cotswolds flood meetings with the permanent secretary for DEFRA, Tamara Finkelstein and the director general for DEFRA, David Hill.

"Following the innovative introduction by Bledington to explain what they are doing to alleviate flooding, we will be introducing something similar, as a photo is often worth a thousand words. 

"My team and I will now be chasing all the agencies involved in the meetings to resolve the action points.”