Buckinghamshire floods: Council to 'raise concerns' to Environment Agency

Parts of north Buckinghamshire, including Buckingham, were struck by floods around Christmas time

A council said it would "voice its concerns" to the Environment Agency (EA) after severe flooding.

Parts of north Buckinghamshire were struck by floods after heavy rainfall over 23 and 24 December.

Buckinghamshire Council cabinet member for transport, Nick Naylor, said the authority would challenge the EA about flood warnings.

The EA said it would work with the council "to better understand the nature of the flooding".

"The findings will be used to fine tune our response to any future flooding," an EA spokesman added.

He said the flooding resulted from a "significant amount of rain falling in a very short period of time".

A month's worth of rainfall - 55mm (2.1ins) - fell in less than 24 hours, he added.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Naylor said a report by the strategic flood management team could be expected within 10 months.

Fellow Buckingham councillor Robin Stuchbury had asked if the council would investigate the proposals from an EA feasibility study "to consider improved flood defences in Buckingham".

He said global warming was "likely to make such events occur frequently in the coming years".

In response, Mr Naylor said the responsibility for "main river flooding" resided with the EA. He said the council would encourage it to review the river catchment to "alleviate and manage flooding through Buckingham and the downstream communities".

An EA spokesman said the agency's flood defences protected about 4,000 homes and businesses from flooding.

He said: "Environment Agency teams worked 24/7 alongside the emergency services and local partners to check and operate defences, support those who had been flooded and reduce the risk of further flooding throughout the Christmas period."

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