Thank you for visiting Frampton-on-Severn to see and hear at first hand about the problems we have encountered over recent flooding in the parish, and the actions we are putting in place to minimise future problems.

  As reported, some twelve properties have been affected by ground water and surface run off in the parish, which may be summarised as:

THE GREEN

  Ground water entering Parks Cottage, Rosamund House, The Old House, The Grange and Manor Cottage.

  Gardens flooded at The Old Coffee House and Nastfield Cottage.

  The ponds have been at record levels with standing water on The Green.

WHITTLE'S LANE

  Surface water entering The Old School House. The properties in the lane also suffered from a failure of the sewerage system.

LAKE LANE

  Surface water from the Playing Field flooding the roadway and adjacent gardens and very nearly flooding other properties.

SPLATT BRIDGE

  Cottage flooded.

TOWNFIELD LAKE

  At levels requiring an emergency response to avoid an overflow, which would have resulted in water entering properties in The Street. This was carried out by Parish Councillors and other volunteers together with the Frampton Court Estate.

PERRYWAY AND WHITMINSTER LANE

  Both closed to cars for short periods of time, as they were impassable due to surface water run off from adjacent fields.

LAND TO THE SOUTH OF THE PARISH

  This area contains The Marshes, and whilst this land provides an important water storage function the increased area flooded and the continuing rise in water some time after the rain had stopped is a cause for concern.

  We have been helped through these difficulties with the assistance of:

GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL HIGHWAYS

  Drains leading from Watery Lane are to be excavated and cleared of roots, so alleviating flooding on the lower Green and taking water away from Townfield Lake. This work will be carried out in conjunction with Frampton Court Estate.

STROUD DISTRICT COUNCIL

  Providing bags, filled with the assistance of Frampton Court Estate staff, which were distributed to householders at risk of flooding in The Street and to provide a defensive wall adjacent to the Sailing Clubhouse on Townfield Lake. Stroud District Council also provided an excellent information service to residents.

  As a community we are taking the following additional actions to minimise future problems:

1.  We have formed a group to draw up a Community Emergency Plan and we expect to receive their recommendations before too long. We are particularly concerned that we go into the wet winter season with water-logged ground.

2.  A meeting has been arranged with Severn Trent to discuss ways of over-coming the localised sewerage failures in Whittle's Lane, which we believe can be resolved with some simple remedial actions.

3.  To form a group with drainage knowledge to look at improved water management from the Clay Pits, the gravel workings, and the landfill run off, to the Frampton Lakes to the River Severn. As a first step Frampton Court Estate is producing a map of the current drainage system. This group will also look at the localised problems at the Lake Lane Playing Fields.

4.  We intend to make it very clear to the Environment Agency that the release of water via Frampton Pill, which is their responsibility, is not working correctly. There are questions about modifications and a lack of maintenance that has possibly added to problems of flooding in the Parish.

  From this you can see that the Parish Council is implementing actions to alleviate future problems. However, we are left with the unfinished business of needing the Gloucester Sharpness Canal to be maintained and managed as a flood defence and drainage canal for Gloucester. As discussed we will provide you with a briefing paper, list of known issues, and a proposed agenda for a meeting with appropriate bodies. We would very much appreciate your continued help and participation to ensure we can achieve a satisfactory outcome to this problem.

  Thank you again for your continued support.

David Speed

Vice Chairman, Frampton-on-Severn Parish Council

August 2007