The recent flooding has brought many challenges to our area, including the beautiful village of Hursley.
Extremely high groundwater levels led to a wide range of problems which flooded cellars and overwhelmed sewerage systems, at one point sending raw sewage down Main Road in the heart of the village.
Winchester & Chandler's Ford MP Steve Brine was asked by Hursley Parish Council to convene a top-level meeting in the village which took place on Wednesday 5th March 2014. Local parish and city councillors were joined by senior officials from Hampshire County Council, Winchester City Council, Southern Water and the Environment Agency as well members of the village flood committee led by resident Ken Day.
Steve Brine says; "Much of the focus of the meeting was of course with Southern Water who have every reason to take the future seriously in Hursley given the vast costs being incurred pumping out. Their officials took a large amount of feedback away from the meeting and have much to do in understanding where their systems were simply overwhelmed and where they could make changes to meet future events.
"As with every such meeting I have chaired this week, it was agreed that although everything that could be done to lessen the impact of future ground-water flooding would be considered, there was a real need to manage expectations around the extent to which unprecedented weather events can be handled".
Frances Martin from Hampshire County Council's Environment Team outlined the work being undertaken at the present time to identify bids for the funding of future flood defence projects which must be submitted in outline form to the Environment Agency by 12th March. The date, which sees the culmination of many months work, had been fixed for 3rd March but Steve Brine secured an extension after raising the issue in Parliament last week.
The meeting also discussed highways concerns which had been raised with Steve Brine during recent weeks, including the response time from the County Council when traffic control was needed to protect homes from so-called 'bow-waves'.
Hursley Parish Council are constantly engaging with villagers affected by the recent flooding and are in the process of updating their flood plan.
Pictured; Steve on-site in the village during the 2014 floods.
More information ...
READ and WATCH Steve's speech to the House of Commons (scroll forward to 6hrs 4 mins and 30 secs)
Attending the meeting were: Cllr Eleanor Bell (HPC), Cllr Jan Warwick (WCC), Cllr John Brooks (Clerk, HPC), Frances Martin (Assistant Director of Waste, Planning and Environment, HCC), Steve Tilbury (WCC), Mike O'Neill (Operations Manager, Solent & South Downs Area, EA), Stephen Dart (County Sewerage Engineer, Southern Water),
Mike James (Public Relations, Southern Water), Simon Parker (Southern Water), Ken Day (Hursley Flood Committee and Action Plan)
