Lib Dems win vote to on plans to reduce flooding from Fairywell Brook
The Liberal Democrats have been working on a proposal to get Trafford Council to clear Fairywell Brook more frequently.
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Many of you will recall January 2021, when homes backing onto Fairywell Brook were flooded because branches etc. were blocking the flow further downstream, meaning during the heavy rainstorms the water levels rose to reach nearby houses.
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In December that year, we got the Environment Agency out at 1am to clear the Brook and stop that happening again.
We campaigned on this during the Local Elections this year - so Cllr Will Frass and Cllr Shaun Ennis were determined to bring this issue forward at the earliest opportunity.
Our proposal explains both the problems we've had in Timperley due to local flooding, but also the appalling sewage dumping problem in Britain's rivers that the Government continues to ignore, despite multiple proposals in Parliament from the Liberal Democrats that would help tackle it.
The Lib Dem proposal asked Trafford Council to:
Ask the Flood Resilience Working Group created in March 2021 to support the Environment Agency to inspect and clear Fairywell Brook more frequently. Reducing the build-up of debris that causes the Brook to flood and sewage-contaminated water to enter residents’ homes during flash floods.
Last night, Cllr Will Frass formally brought the Liberal Democrat proposal before the Full Council and it was seconded by Cllr Shaun Ennis.
It was disappointing we had spend time dealing with a counter-proposal from the Conservatives who tried to white-wash the government's record on sewage, and use the Council to cover-up the part Sir Graham Brady had to play in voting down proposals in Parliament that asked water companies to take more steps to stop dumping untreated sewage and tax those who do. The counter-proposal was thrown out by the Full Council.
It was also disappointing not a single Conservative Councillor felt able to vote in favour of protecting Timperley residents from flooding...
...but the Liberal Democrats still won the vote convincingly.
Can we promise Timperley is protected from storm floods forever? No...
But by a vote of the Full Council - Trafford is now committed to more frequent clearances of the debris that blocks the Brook which we know makes such a difference.
