I understand you require local knowledge on the recent flooding. I am the Chairman of the Parish Council of Down Ampney, near Cirencester in Gloucestershire. Our village suffered flooding to a degree that has not been known in living memory. Water flowed from one end of the main street to the other and stayed at quite a considerable depth for 36 hours. Ten houses in all suffered flood damage. The Ampney Brook to the west of the village burst its banks and flowed deeply over the adjoining fields and main village access road off the A419.

  All the land around the village is owned by the CWS and we have spoken to them about keeping ditches dug and clear. Years gone by when Thames water was responsible for all areas including the Ampney Brook there was a local man employed on clearing and dredging the brook. I have lived in the village 19 years and have not witnessed any dredging. We know that the Brook has silted up considerably and we think the Environment Agency should ensure regular dredging which would have ensured the waters flowed more readily away from the village and into the nearby Thames therefore reducing the flooding in the village. Apparently the CWS have contacted the Environment Agency about this since the flooding.

  I hope these facts help your investigations. We acknowledge the weather was exceptional, but we do not think general maintenance of ditches and rivers are being carried out as they used to be.

Julia Job

Chairman of Down Ampney Parish Council

August 2007