Memorandum submitted by James Harris (FL
22)
ISSUES RAISED
FOLLOWING THE
FLOODS OF
20 JULY 2007 AT
SOUTH CERNEY,
GLOUCESTERSHIRE.
1. South Cerney, in the south of the county,
despite having the heavy rains (5 inches or so) of the 20th July,
was very fortunate to have only a couple of houses flooded. Three
weeks on from these rains there are still some areas of land that
remain underwater. This is surprising compared with other areas
locally, where the water drained away within a couple of weeks.
2. With regard to one particular area that
I am concerned with, this is wholly attributable to the lack of
attention given to the maintenance of a watercourse by the farmer
(from grid ref SU 055 974 to SU 057 976). The knock on effect
has caused a number of people a lot of inconvenience (including
flooding of out-houses at the Manor House that have never been
flooded before).
3. Having spent 20 years as the Head Ranger
in the area of the Upper Thames flood plain known as the Cotswold
Water Park and I now serve on the South Cerney Parish Council
(with a portfolio of Flood Warden). I have a great deal of local
knowledge and I can assure you that this is just one case locally,
among many others, that I am aware of.
4. I feel very strongly that farmers have
a social responsibility to take better care of their water-courses
in order that situations like this are avoided. Could we have
reached the stage where there may a need for some type of pressure
in the form of legislation to be considered?
James Harris
August 2007
| 
