Update

Poor buggers in Sheffield - but it could have happened here if the wind direction had been a little different.

Hugh and I have been hassling the council - but there is precious little action from them. We think we need a new approach - and will be setting up a meeting soon to get something agreed.

Also - There are two other points to consider.

The new development at Larkrise - of a new nursery
And the maintainence of brook and footpath

Here is a copy of the mail that Hugh sent to the planning officer pushing the project from the county council. The city officers have been kept in the loop on this too!

Dear Rachel

I have just been chatting to John Hamilton, who told me you were the
best point of contact with any queries about the development planned for
Larkrise school. I am a resident to Campbell Road - the cul de sac end -
and we are planning a small meeting to discuss local maters, mainly
flooding, and want to be able to explain clearly what is planned with
the school.

There are two main areas we would like clarification on:

What will be the route used by contractors for the work? If it is going
to be along Campbell Road then we would need to be kept informed of what
is happening. We were utterly left out of discussions surrounding the
large development at St Gregory's school, and were all shocked when the
developers started to use our very quiet, toddler rich, road as access.
I hope that this won't be the case this time. I believe that there would
need to be strictly enforced controls over timing of access - there are
three footpaths, our road and the park entrance all at the point where
lorries would enter. Also there would need to be strict enforcement of
the speed with which lorries travelled (again something ignored by the
developers at St Gregory's).

The planning application states that the development is not within a
flood plain. I am not sure that is true, and even if it is, there is
potential impact on our properties from flooding that could be
exacerbated by the development. Loss of any green space is to be
regretted unless there is some other water collecting feature to reduce
the increased run off. Additionally, if the increased surface and sewage
water are to be added to the LA sewer that runs down Campbell Road - it
should be remembered that Thames Water have already said that they are
too small for what they deal with now.

We hope to arrange a meeting in the next three weeks, so it would be
great to hear from you soon

with best wishes

Hugh


Footpath - as you must all have noticed the footpath along the brook is getting worse and worse. The highways officer in charge, Andrew Burchett thinks that the fencing along the footpath is ok - and that the rubbish and safety problems are not worth doing anything about. He is going ot look at the erosion of the path next to the school - and might be open to fixing the banks to prevent the collapse that has happened near Rymers lane.

Overall, I think this is an area where we could have some action - and I would like to push this idea along. Another agenda item?

Take care and let's hope that there are no heavy storms .

Eylan

News re park and possible crime

This email arrived today, from the Friends of Florence Park:

Dear Friends,

I know that many of you are concerned that the park is being left unlocked at weekends, so I would like to bring to your attention a meeting to be held next Sunday 3rd June.

Last night, Councillor Shah Jahan Khan called on me, as Chairman of the Friends of Florence Park, to tell me about this meeting, and to ask if I would pass this information on.

He has been approached by a number of residents of the neighbourhood and Friends of Florence Park, concerned about this matter.
He informs me that there have been a number of incidents of anti-social behaviour and criminal damage, which he believes have increased since the park has been left unlocked.

He is naturally concerned about this issue and has a number of possible solutions that he would like to suggest to a meeting of interested residents.

He is therefore calling a meeting on Sunday 3rd June at 3pm in the Florence Park Community Centre, Cornwallis Road, for anyone concerned about what is happening to the park and interested in helping to find a sustainable solution.

He is aiming to canvass views and ideas before the Cowley Area Committee discusses the future arrangements for the park on the following Wednesday 6th June at 6.30pm in the John Bunyan Baptist Church, Crowell Road.

If you are at all concerned about this matter, I urge you to try and come to this meeting to express your views, but if you are unable to come, but still have a contribution to make, then please contact Shah Jahan Khan or myself.

Yours sincerely,

John Todd (Chairman of the Friends of Florence Park).

Based on the recent crime problems we have been having (including a chase from the park into our back gardens on Sunday and car stereo thefts last night!) - perhaps we should all try to register our views re the park being open.

Interesting background on our area

http://www.yourhouse-myhouse.org/index.htm

Defra - and meeting

Good idea to have a meeting. Just yesterday I spoke to a man who knows a lot about this sort of thing - he is the father of a good friend, and works as a consultant now. He is particularly concerned that there is a presumption on the part of the Environment Agency to invest in protecting a lot of houses that flood rarely, rather than a few that flood a lot ... he is based in Swansea, but has said he will have a look around here if he is nearby.

he also passed on some information about what we can do to our houses to make them more resiliant to flooding - and there is hot of the press report to be read (I have not yet ... )

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/policy/strategy/rf1rf2.htm

This indicates that there are grants going to be made available to help defend properties.

The worry about passing on the problem, if we all board up, he says is nothing to worry about - the amount of water we keep out of our houses is trivial compared to the amount in the park.

Thanks Eylan for keeping this up to date

Hugh

New Meeting

Is it about time for a new meeting - if not just to find out where we are all at? To talk about:

Flooding
Park
School gates


Also - There is a meeting of the Friends of Florence park on Saturday....is anyone else going?

Eylan

Thames Water - Blockage

Hi

yesterday - 14th May - Thames Water contractors 'Future' came to look in the soil pipes in the road with cameras. When they lifted the cover up by the back gate of the school (the one higher up than the road) we were able to see that there was solid waste almost to the top of the pipe.

This pipe follows the brook - going East to West - and takes all the waste from our area. The engineers on site explained that this was very bad - because the height of this blocked pipe meant that we would have got BIG backwash IF there was a surge from our direction.
Sound Familiar>??

This is proof that TW are responsible for the problems we have been having!!!!

They then ordered the big blasting truck that arrived - and it came straight away! They cleared the mess - but further investigation has taken them to the top of the hill - on Between Towns Road today - to clear more there.

This seems to be further proof that there is insufficient capacity in the pipes coming down the hill to the Brook - a series of 25inch pipes feeding into one 25" pipe. This pipe is in our road - and it is trying to feed into a blocked main pipe that is too high to feed into!!!!

What a mess.

Let's hope that Angela at the council can sort this out.

If there is any more news - let me know - and I will pass it on.

Eylan

stinky Brook and warning

Yes - the brook has been stinky! Toilet paper and bad smell = pollution from sewage.
I reported it to council and Steve Smith rang me within minutes to find out more. He is getting onto the EA about it - and who ever is reponsible will be fined.

Also - It has been very dry - and we are primed for another big flood. Be ready!!!
Keep valuables off the ground outside. And have a plan for where to move stuff.
Know where your sandbags are - and leave a tel number with a neighbour, in case it happens when you are away.

Council Tax booklet!

In your council tax envelope there is a booklet from the City Council - the one with a fruit cake on the front.
Turn to page 12. Yes... It is our road during a flood - on the page about the Environment Agency!
Hey ho - actually - I don't mind - as the EA has been quite good at helping us.
Pretty funny though!
Eylan

Dates please!

I have lost some details - but there have been more flooding incidents than these two big ones:

28 June 2005

11 Oct 2006


Does anyone have record of the smaller ones???

Thanks

Eylan

Thames Water questionnaire

We have all had a letter and questionnaire from Thames Water.

Just a few thoughts about it:

It is great that they are taking us seriously - and we should all fill it in.
However, it is up to them to tell us the causes of the problem - we should be telling them what is happening - where the flooding is happening - worsening, etc.
As Hugh said - We should be descriptive and they should be prescriptive.
They should diagnose the problem - and prescribe a solution - especially regarding the foul water.

The map they supplied up with is useful - and I will be marking on the flooding as it impacts me - especially the flow of sewage water through into my garden whenever there is a thunderstorm!

I would suggest that we all do this - so that they can see where the 'foul water' is coming from and going to.

As for the problems with the brook and the park - Thames Water will not have much to do with that - so comments regarding these other issues may fall on deaf ears!

As for the dates of the floods - see the next post for details.

Eylan

Hugh's report from meeting on 6th

The following report is from Hugh - please read before filling in the questionnaire from Thames Water!

On Tuesday 6^th March I met with a team of people on our road who had been pulled together by Angel Council Cristofoli, our area co-ordinator at Oxford City. The group included Thames Water (3 people), two councillors, people from Highways, Parks and Drainage. We talked about where the flooding had occurred and when – they showed me a map (I think from the hydrological survey that has still to be made public) that indicated the areas of flood risk. Interestingly our road sticks out into the flood like a pier! Also the map showed the Lark Rise playing fields and the meadow behind the old peoples’ home as flooded. I pointed out that both of these points were errors.

Then we walked through the park, stopping along the way to look at the areas of concern. Obviously the park brook’s intersection with Boundary Brook is a key point. As soon as Boundary gets full, there is no way the park brook can empty into it, so it comes our way! What they can do about it, I don’t know, but they are now very aware of that problem.

Further up Boundary Brook we saw a few other pinch points – points that have actually assisted us in recent floods. For example, when Cowley and Marsh Road flooded last year – that was all water that could have ended up with us.

And this was a point that we all took on board. If the problem at Marsh Road is made better, without reference to the bigger picture, then we will get more flooding. And likewise, if we improve things for ourselves here, then perhaps Meadow Lane will suffer. It was agreed that it would be very useful for everyone to look at a large map of the area and indicate where the problems are. Piecemeal solutions will not work.

Walking back – all the way to the Iffley Road, engineers pointed out that Larkrise playing fields can’t flood as they are so much higher than the brook. I pointed out that St Greg’s playing fields used to flood – people were unsure about how effective the tanks they claim to have put in will be at mimicking natural flooding. Also – the brook near the end of our road is less sloping than further down – I was shown the build up of gravel and silt near the bridge – while a little further down towards Iffley Road there is no silt. This is because the water is moving faster. Is this important?

Someone is going to see if the tunnel under the Iffley Road really is a constraint on flow – and whether that might be exacerbating the situation.

All in all it was a very valuable time – if for nothing other than bringing so many of the different parties who are responsible together. I think that gentle pressure will go a long way in reminding all of them that we are still here and have no plans to go away!

The next step? We get to have a look at the hydrological plan – hopefully soon – and then perhaps we can see an end to the periodic stress and misery of flooding.

Action

Due to some email screw up - it turns out that Angela at the council has come through- but I only just found out.

She has got all the agencies involved to come to our road to talk over the problem next week - but I have only just found out. Thames Water, the Environment Agency, and councillors all taking us seriously.

Angela said the reason that they were taking us seriously and wanting to help was partly because we were so organised and were prepared to see the bigger picture. So, well done us! Compliments aside - let's hope this leads to action!

I am very quickly pulling together the issues/ideas we want them to consider.

If there are any 'schemes' - such as a new drain leading from the park and the east side gardens to the flood plain behind the new older-persons housing to the west - or to widen the brook - or to put new drains in the park - please let me know so I can raise them.

Pop into see me - or email to eylan2001@yahoo.co.uk as soon as you can

Once again - sorry for the rush

Eylan 237

Leaflet and Hydrology report

Eylan,

the link below to the flooding leaflet doesn't seem to work.

Also, is the Environment Agency hydrology report ready for us to read yet?

Jem

Using the Blog

There are Three ways to use this blog.

1 - you can post comments by clicking on comments below any post. you can then add your views on any given subject.


2 - by becoming an author. I should have said that you will need a google account to do this. Sorry. But once you have this - you can post properly to the site.

3 - send anything you want to appear on the site to me - and I will post it for you. Mail to eylan2001@yahoo.co.uk



Hope this clears things up.

Help please...

Can you please help me with the dates of flooding - as far back with as much detail as possible about the extent of the flood? We need months as well as years.

2006
Oct

2005
June

2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1995 - 1990
1980- 1990
1960 - 1979

WOW!!!

I take it all back!

Some of you might have seen a city council tanker this afternoon. The 'chief' - Keith - had an email in hand from one of the councillors at last nights meeting - asking his team to clear any blockages that might be causing waste water flooding!!!

He will be here tomorrow at 10 to do the work - and he is bringing Steve Smith (city drainage engineer) and his boss to see what is going on.

If any of you would like to help me in talking to them - that would be great...!!!

otherwise - I will try to raise the issues we have talked about in the past.

SO - DOUBLE thanks to Royce for getting me to go this meeting - cos it is leading to action that we wanted!!!

More tomorrow!

Eylan

Oxford Flood Info

The county councillor at the meeting last night talked about a booklet which we should all have had. I had never seen it - so I looked this morning and found it online...here

There is not much new - or immediately helpful - but it there is some useful background.

Thanks

Eylan,
cheers for attending the meeting last night. Please feel free to allocate any tasks to me which you think need doing - so far you've done loads of work for the group, I don't want you to become over burdened.
Jem

Your views...

Did the building works at Gregory the Great make the flooding worse?


Are the new drains in the park helping - or making no difference?


What is causing the waste water flooding? Is it the brook? or is it Thames Water's fault?


Comments Please.........

Area Meeting

Last night Royce and I attended the Area meeting of the City Council.
During the open session, I was given time to present our concerns.
I kept it very short and focussed on the following:

-Flooding getting worse
-Waste Water flooding
-Complexity of causes
-Conflicting advice/info from different agencies
-Impact on residents
-Public Health problems

I then asked for help understanding and coordinating the different agencies involved.

The committee was very supportive of our concerns and there seems to have been more action than we were aware of.

The Environment Agency attended the last area committee meeting, and minutes from this will be available soon.

The chair, Councillor Bryan Keen, proposed that a delagation will come to see us - and assess our issues directly. They will set up a meeting and provide resources to help with this.

Angela Cristofoli, the Area Coordinator (North East and Cowley) is bringing all the agencies together and is going to get involved with us to help. I think that this is very positive, as she can coordinate the issues of many residents, apart from us in Campbell Road - and bring a little more clout to our needs - especially with Thames Water!!

Anyhoo - there is a little bit of uncertainty about how much this will help us in the short term, but Royce and I were heartened by how much they were aware of our issues - with councillors being aware of the permanent piles of sandbags on our road.

Also, having the resources of the council to help us (meeting rooms, etc) will be good too!

Thanks to Royce for bringing this valuable meeting to our attention and for the work he has done raising it with councillors in the past.

It is possible that councillors might read this blog - but we should not worry about who else is reading this - as it is for us. It is important that we feel we can be honest with each other here - as we need to air and coordinate our concerns.

Please comment - ask questions and share information here - as it is a way for us to move faster to get help. So far 4 other residents have access to posting to the site - but none have yet! - Please help me by contributing to this blog - and the more of us use it - the more support our group can demonstrate.

I will be posting a few common concerns to promote some more discussion next - please get involved!

Eeek - Area Committee meeting

Happy New Year

Royce has recently found out that the area cttee meeting that he mentioned at our meeting, is happening tonight. Royce and I will go to see what is happening, to introduce ourselves, and to alert them to our issues (in very general terms).

Our objective is to ask them for help and information.

I hope this is ok for everyone. If you can make it, it is at 6:30 at John Bunyan Baptist Church .

I will post details about the meeting as soon as possible.

A reminder that if you want to post to this blog - just let me know your email - and I will give you full rights to author to the site.

On a final note - Debbie and family were robbed on Christmas Eve, while there were sleeping at home. I know many of us have given support and kind words to Debbie, Nigel and Aaron, but maybe we need to do more.
This nasty crime has brought the ideas for a neighbourhood watch back on to the agenda.
For more info - see here for Thames Valley Police info - and here for the national scheme.

Perhaps we can discuss this at our next meeting.

Thanks

Eylan