Former Helston mayor calls for investigation into flooding (From Falmouth Packet)

Former Helston mayor calls for investigation into flooding

7:00am Thursday 10th January 2013 in News

A former mayor of Helston is calling upon the current post holder to investigate ways of easing the risk of flooding in the town.

Paul Phillips, who is no longer a town councillor, has written a letter to mayor Jonathan Radford-Gaby in light of the flooding in the town three days before Christmas, which particularly hit homes in St John’s Road.

In it Mr Phillips wrote: “The recent flooding of homes and property at St John’s, Helston has again brought misery, discontent and no doubt financial hardship to a good many of our local residents; facts that you are more than familiar with I am sure.

“The question I pose is, what is being done to prevent it happening again?”

He said a major factor in the build up of water was reported to be the access bridge to the Kingdom Hall, where the high water striking the bridge caused “an instant back up” that resulted in flooding of homes upstream.

Mr Phillips said the owner of the bridge needed to be determined, as he believed raising the bridge, even by a foot, would help lessen the impact.

“It need not cost a fortune and could save the deserving residents of St John’s much heartache in the future,” he added.

“Why this was not considered in the past we will never know, but I think it is well worth considering now and before the next onslaught of rain occurs.”

Mr Radford-Gaby said he was currently in the process of researching answers for Mr Phillips.

“He’s spoken to me and I’m in the middle of composing a reply,” he said. “There is a flood plan in place now and we’ve been working closely with the Environment Agency to put that in place.”

He said the EA and fire service needed to be thanked “wholeheartedly” for ensuring the situation was not “an awful lot worse that it turned out to be,” as well as members of the community who rallied round to help those affected.

These included the Epworth Hall where a rescue centre was set up and Helston Farmers’ Market traders that donated food.

“It was great to see the community all pulling together in the way that only Helston does,” he added.

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Helston floods: as it happened