The Isle of Wight Green Party is demanding a comprehensive investigation of recent flooding and a review of the Local Flood Risk Management Strategy.
9 starting areas for flood management have been highlighted, concentrating on areas adjacent to rivers with significant housing development in recent years: Gunville, Sylvan Drive, Monktonmead. The Green Party further believe any review must look at areas away from rivers and the impact on our drinking water supply.
Vix Lowthion, Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for the new seat of Isle of Wight East, has said:
“The flooding across the whole island in the last week has devastated homes and businesses and blocked road and rail routes on which islanders rely. As the climate crisis escalates, and we urbanise green fields into housing developments, such flooding events will become increasingly commonplace. We need a local strategy to protect property and wildlife habitats, and support islanders who are suffering from the effects of heavy, relentless rainfall.
“All the agencies involved must do a lot better than the last week to limit the destruction caused by flooding, and prepare us better for the scale and impact of the reality of disrupted, erratic weather patterns in the years to come.
“We don’t need an ark – we need a plan!”
In a letter sent to Isle of Wight Council, Island Roads, Environment Agency, and Southern Water, the Green Party has written:
“The flooding events across the Isle of Wight on 24th, 25th, 28th and 29th October have been devastating for many residents, businesses and wildlife – and it is clear that the risks are going to continue throughout the coming days. Whilst we fully support the calls for a Section 19 Flood Investigation, it is unmistakable that these are not isolated events – geographically or historically. The Isle of Wight seems ill-prepared to meet the scale of the weather crises which face us as the climate changes, and we must ramp up our management of these flooding events to protect property, life, infrastructure and our landscape.
Article continues below this advertisement “Firstly, it’s important to thank everyone – agencies and individuals – who came together to support islanders who have been suffering from the effects of the significant levels of rainfall in the last week. This includes staff and councillors who have been wading through water and tackling flooding throughout the rainy nights and the volunteers who have responded to blocked drains and flooded homes by travelling across the island to support communities in need.
“We need to be better prepared for floods and heavy rainfall islandwide and across all agencies in order to have the resilience and capabilities to tackle challenges even greater than we have met before.
“We call for an improved local flood risk management strategy which:
- stresses the importance of regular maintenance and clearing of gutters, ditches and drains (both by Island Roads and private landowners)
- identifies the areas which need improvements in drainage infrastructure (eg outside St Marys) to prevent a recurrence of the worst of the flooding experienced in October 2023
- works with landowners to provide ditches and drainage all year round, particularly with land adjacent to housing
- increases the capacity and availability of sandbags to the public, ensuring that they are placed close to the areas most vulnerable to flooding of properties (eg Gunville)
- collates information for residents experiencing a flooding emergency (eg manned phone lines, leaflets/ graphics to share)
- raises the minimum drainage levels required in our planning strategy for new developments to meet the challenges from weather in the 21st century – Gunville, Sylvan Drive and Monktonmead all experienced some of the worst flooding, and all have significant housing developments in the planning.
- reviews planned housing developments in these areas – water courses such as Lukely Brook and Gunville Stream are directly impacted by urban run off and in the light of the October 2023 flooding the suitability of these sites should be reviewed.
- reviews the Climate Emergency motion from 2019 to assess what has been met and any updates and additional measures which need to be taken to mitigate the increasing problems we face as a direct result of the climate crisis.
- Investigates the measures needed to ensure that no homes lose access to a safe water supply during flooding events
“We are proud of our island status, but it presents a challenge at times of crisis. All the climate evidence points towards an increase in significant flooding events on the scale of October 2023 in the years ahead.
“We need a flood management strategy which is fit to meet these demands, and every agency needs to play its full part.
A review a bit like that already announced by Council Leader Phil Jordan, perhaps?
Never trust a drunk when he uses words like “review” he will have forgotten about it tomorrow.
Unfortunately the green party is no different to the others. When you read there policies
it’s all woffle and no substance.
The only thing green on the Island is the grass.
After seeing the latest weather forecast, we definitely need an ark!
The Green Party, waste of a vote.
“All the climate evidence points towards an increase in significant flooding events on the scale of October 2023 in the years ahead”. Evedence produced by a human produced computer program which can be made to say what you want.
Actions speak louder than words…
All very good saying what needs to happen, and reviewing the problems….
But let’s solve them …
Not review and debate for umpteen months….
The last thing we need is an investigation, which follows a committee, a steering group folowed by months of consultations with our stakeholders and ending up with what conclusion, we are tarmacing over the island, where is the water meant to go.
There is a bandwagon coming along soon. How about getting on it ?
Instead of all this green waffle, especially from someone that left a pub to rot for years ( really green that,,,)
Why not offer some practical advice like how the ‘green’ party proposes to deal with acts of God! Oh sorry, we caused all this by climate change didn’t we?
In all our decadence people die
The Green Party demanding something from the IWC is a bit of a joke in two parts, unfortunately the IWC will not want to spend any of their own money (really our money) on anything they can blame on other utilities/contractors and The Green Party as much as they keep a few Just Stop Oil supporters, retired gardeners, young spoiled teenagers and of course vegans excited there’s no way they have any power to demand anything.
Councillor Phil Jordan clearly stated on television news that this is a “once in one hundred years event”.
The reporter then said but last time it happened two years ago ….
Walking around Binstead I’ve noticed most drains are full to the top, no wonder people are flooding, as the water can only follow the road surface.
We have a “drain” that water comes UP and out of jt.
Do you live in Australia as if so it’s bound to happen.
Do the dim think that all these illegals will be living in hotels and a ship FOREVER?
The majority will stay and be housed and the never ending stream of such will take their place infinitely
Yet the dim still think more houses because currently they are not directly filled by such doesn’t have any connection to them but it does as they house those displaced by large scale immigration changing areas those indigenous now escape from. Ask and you will hear many tell you so.
So true, they are all being allowed into the country for a reason,
a reason the Government are not telling us.
We could easily control our borders if we had to, we did in WW2
All just stating the obvious really isn’t it. Can’t trust a single useless one of them especially after the massive failings of this past week.
Need to get rid of the lot of them I say
Green in the gills Green’s in the pocket environment agent &council should be sacked and people how didn’t finish the flood gates
There is’nt a climate emergency its all bollocks..its happened before it will happen again..
If drains were cleared properly water could flow better best we get is scrape leaves away and pile at side of drainage oops yes they blow straight back and block drain again
I heard that the firefighters don’t have pumps to get them out! So they can’t do anything about to get the floods outta there apparently!
is this true?
P.s not all people are telling the truth, was told that they don’t have pumps…
Clueless woman spouting her nonsense again. The greens are an irrelevant group of misinformed fools.
You can’t help nature but don’t expect the government do anything about it it’s not there fault if it rains
Stop building more Homes on an Island that cannot cope.