Over the last few days, Storm Henk has battered England with torrential downpours and high winds. Serious flooding has forced many people from their homes creating misery at the start of the new year. And unfortunately, Reigate & Banstead hasn’t been spared. Trees are down and several areas across the Borough have suffered flooding. Flooding is especially devastating when it affects someone’s home, and after last night’s deluge many people today will be left clearing up the mess.
In the villages of Tadworth, Walton, Burgh Heath & Kingswood, which I represent as County Councillor, flooding is a problem in particular areas (often referred to as ‘wet spots’). The flooding is caused by surface water run-off exceeding the capacity of drains during heavy rainfall, otherwise known as pluvial flooding. Over the last few years, I’ve had many conversations with residents suffering with internal and external flooding, and it’s truly upsetting to see the distress and anxiety caused. And it’s for that reason that flooding is a priority for me.
Flooding appears to have become more of a problem in recent years, and there are various factors that could be at play:
- Climate - We are experiencing more extreme weather events involving torrential downpours. Last night’s Storm Henk deluge was a classic example. Such high volumes of water landing over such a short period of time are not absorbed into the ground and drainage system quickly enough, leading to localised flooding.
- Development - Insufficient drainage is exacerbated by the ongoing loss of grassland and open ground to new development and new driveways. This open land would normally act like a sponge helping prevent flooding of homes close by.
- Maintenance of drainage system - For areas prone to flooding, it’s vital that existing drainage capacity is maximised. To do this, the gullies and soakaways must be in good order with no blockages. That means regular ‘jetting’ to clear the gullies/pipes and frequent street sweeping to prevent debris blocking the grates. But there’s also many other little things that can be done to improve drainage, like ensuring the road surface is directing water towards the drain, not away from it, and making sure kerb heights are appropriate. All these small things can make a big difference.
Last summer, myself and Matt Furniss, the Cabinet Member for Highways, were tasked with leading a work group to identify improvements in highways services that residents would get tangible benefits from. And flooding was one of the big issues we raised. Our key recommendation was to increase the funding allocated to drainage repairs, maintenance and improvements.
I’m pleased to say that following our recommendations, the draft Budget for the next financial year (2024/25) includes an additional £1.4m for important gulley services (like jetting) and sustainable drainage, and an additional £28.1m of capital funding over 5 years for addressing flooding and drainage issues. It's really reassuring to see Surrey County Council taking flooding so seriously and committing significant sums to infrastructure improvement. This funding (if approved) should result in a marked improvement to our drainage systems in key areas, ensuring that less people have to suffer the misery of flooding in the future.
But in the meantime, if you have been flooded, here is some useful information on how to report it.
- If there is a threat to life, call 999
- If water is dangerously blocking roads/pavements call Surrey County Council on 0300 200 1003
- Report any flooding incident report here: https://www9.surreycc.gov.uk/HighwayIssue/WhatIsTheIssueSelect.aspx?Cod…
- For any flooding of private property, please also email [email protected]
- If there is any sign of sewage, call Thames Water on 0800 316 9800 or Southern Water on 0330 303 0368
- If a river has burst its banks, call the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60.
- If you lose power, report it via Power Cut 105 by calling 105.
