Another Month, Another Flood!

Sunday 28th April saw flooding yet again in the centre of Syston following overnight rainfall, not a Storm Babet or Henk in sight, just rainfall, the sort of rain gardens cried out for in previous summer droughts, but sadly due to the already saturated fields up stream and until the Environment Agency removes the large banks of sand/silt and rolls of reeds (clearly visible through the town, reducing capacity) there’s always a risk, we believe the EA have restrictions on when works can be done due to birds nesting etc.
Whilst waiting for the cavalry to arrive we’ve been talking to others and looking ‘again’ at the Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) upstream to the rear of St Hilda’s Close one of which is owned and maintained by Charnwood Borough Council, we were told this particular one was working as it should, local residents disagreed, so watch this space, if anyone reading is an expert on SuDs (not the washing up kind) please drop your details to the newly formed ‘Syston Community Flood Group’ via systonfloodgroup@gmail.com as we’d love help to understand ‘SuDs’ and our Borough Councillors are equally concerned in light of recent events!
To keep readers in the loop, it was a resident at the ‘all agencies drop in session’ a couple of months back who spoke at length with the EA about forming a community group (they continue to have a good rapport with the EA direct) and have secured a commitment from all the authorities to walk/inspect the Brook along with members of ‘SCFG’! The aim of the community group is to work with the EA long after the de-silting has taken place, so a shout out to ‘Syston Community Flood Group’ for doing positive things.
Nearly there with information overload, together with ‘riparian owners’ mentioned last month the ‘Highways Department’ of Leicestershire County Council seem to of had (have) responsibilities in the Brook (though not Riparian Owners) for clearing around the highway bridges to allow the water to flow freely (look in the Brook when strolling by, doesn’t seem to have gone to well, does it), let’s hope going forward that all the authorities ‘agree to agree on who does what, get it sorted and actually work together with the EA for the good of the town’! 
Lastly, (hooray you cheer) at the time of going to print, things to get the brook cleared of sand/silt/reeds are still moving forward (slowly), and if you happen upon anyone working in the Brook from any of the councils or the EA (after you’ve recovered from the shock that is), if you can be anything, ‘be kind’, their just doing their day job, it’s not their fault personally that Syston’s ‘Barkby Brook’ got in such a mess, now is it.
M&K Concerned Residents

For more information or to contact the EA:
Call: 03708 506 506
email: EMDenquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk
Incident hotline: 0800 807060
Please use this number, which is open 24 hours a day, to report incidents such as flooding, blockages, unusual flow of water, damaged flood defences or pollution.
Contact Severn Trent for water or sewage leaks tel: 0800 783 444