Mike O'Brien

Work on Bedworth flood defences being done

Victims of the worst flood in a hundred years in Bedworth were not going to be put off by heavy snow when they got a chance to travel to Westminster to meet the Chairman of the Environment Agency in February to ask for £150,000 to complete flood barriers to protect their homes.  They not only got to the meeting in the House of Commons but came away pleased.

In December 2008 homes were flooded in Delamere Road and croft Pool in Bedworth when a storm caused the River Sowe to burst its banks and divert water down a drainage ditch into their homes.  The ditch has now been filed in by the Council a but the residents, some of whom were unable to return home for six months after the flood, want the Environment Agency to fund flood walls along an 150 metre stretch of the river to ensure that storms will not cause damage in the future.

Mike O’Brien MP has worked with the residents for over a year.  He lives nearby and was on the scene shortly after the flood.  He had arranged the meeting with Lord Chris Smith the Environment Agency Chairman at the House of Commons.  Tom Gay, Peter Roseblade, Arthur Wake and Jerry Cullen braved the snow in Bedworth and got a delayed, packed train from Coventry, standing all the way to London, to ask for the funding.

Lord Smith told the residents that he had discussed the matter with Mike O’Brien, that the money for the project had been put in the Environment Agency Budget for the next financial year beginning in April and he expected the budget to be approved at an Agency meeting in four weeks time.  Assuming there is no unexpected issues he indicated that he wanted the work to begin as soon after April.  Subsequently it was confirmed that the money had been approved in the new budget and the work was started.

Tom Gay, whose house had been flooded twice by the River Sowe and who had to live elsewhere for six months while repairs were done, welcomed what he called a “Very constructive meeting.”  He was impressed by how well briefed Lord Smith was about the problems in Bedworth.  Tom Gay had been ready to explain the issues, but Lord Smith seemed to know exactly what was needed, displaying maps and photos, and Tom said, ”We left encouraged by his positive attitude.”

Peter Roseblade agreed, ”It was a good meeting and I hope we now get the budget approved and get the work done so that our homes are safe in the future.”

Mike O’Brien said, “i am glad that the hard work of these local people has paid off. the Environment agency found the money and we got the work done.

Nothing was going stop these guys; not snow, wind, cold or delayed trains.  They had a meeting in London and they were going to get there, no matter what. 

“I had spoken to Lord Smith some time ago about the flooding and told him how we needed to get the funding sorted out and the work done." 

The residents also told Lord Smith about the help given by the Environment Agency official for the West Midlands, John Buckingham and by the Bede Ward County Councillor Richard Chattaway.