West Lindsey News - West Lindsey District Council

Nettleham Parish
Council Chairman
Terry Williams (left)
and district councillor
Malcolm Leaning with
the aqua sacs bought
to protect the village
Working to keep flooding at bay
In the battle to beat flooding, ditch
and dyke owners have been
warned they could face legal action
if they don’t remove obstructions in
their watercourses.
Communities across West Lindsey
are being urged to regularly check
ditches, dykes, rivers and streams
to ensure they are not blocked with
debris that will reduce flow of water.
Chair of the district council’s
Communities and Waste Committee,
Cllr Jackie Brockway, said: “One of
the most frequent causes of flooding
is poorly maintained watercourses.
“Blocked ditches and drains can
lead to serious issues during severe
weather conditions if flow is restricted
and water spills over the top.”
The council is urging residents to
be vigilant and report any potential
problems in their areas to their parish
or town council or local flood warden.
Cllr Brockway added: “The council
does not have the resources to check
all the watercourses in the district,
which is why we rely on the support
of residents and parish and town
councils, who are best placed to
respond swiftly to problems.
“Flood Wardens and local councils
can approach the owners to ask them
to try and solve the problem. If the
works are not undertaken then either
West Lindsey District Council or the
drainage boards have legal powers to
ensure the work is done.”
Many parish councils have
appointed flood wardens who regularly
patrol their communities and check on
the condition of local watercourses.
The district council has also set
aside £10,000 to offer grants of £250
to parish councils to be used for flood
prevention. So far only £4,000 of this
fund has been claimed, with the cash
being spent on equipment for the
wardens. Five parish councils have
bought aqua sacs with their grant
money, including Nettleham.
Cllr Malcolm Leaning, who
represents Nettleham, welcomed the
aqua sacs as an alternative to sand
bags.
He said: “Some parish councils,
whilst wanting to be ready for possible
floods, have found problems in
finding substantial storage space for
sand and bags. Nettleham has been
investigating the cost and positioning
of a suitable store for these.
“They have now decided to buy
‘Aqua Sacs’ instead. They contain a
gel which expands on contact with
water and can be re-used and are
much more easily stored.
“The council has bought 100 aqua
sacs. They were able to pay for them
thanks to a £250 grant.”
Chairman of Nettleham Parish
Council, Cllr Terry Williams said:
“This is an excellent example of how
the district and parish councils can
work together to produce a practical
solution to a real problem that can
have devastating consequences for
residents who are directly affected.”
If your council has not applied for a
grant visit: www.west-lindsey.gov.
uk/parish/floodgrant
20 West Lindsey News