Vale of White Horse Community Flood Action Groups
The establishment of community flood action groups with assistance from Vale of White Horse District Council, the Environment Agency, the Parish or Town Council and the County Council. These groups have been working together to reduce identified flood risks.
Flood affected areas in the Vale now have active community-based flood groups including Abingdon, Buscot, Carswell Marsh, Charney Bassett , Grove, The Hanneys, Kennington, The Letcombes, Longcot, Lyford, Marcham, Milton, South Hinksey, Stanford in the Vale, Steventon, Sunningwell, Uffington, Wantage and Watchfield. These groups consist of volunteers working alongside The Vale of White Horse District Council, the Environment Agency, Parish or Town Councils and the County Council and complete work to reduce flooding risk in their community.
This work has involved creation of community flood action plans, explaining river maintenance, exploring short and long-term flood risk management solutions and raising awareness to flood risk within the community. It is detailed on The Environment Agency’s Flood Action Maps. These maps pinpoint locations and provide additional information on actions taken, planned and ongoing, one year on for example illustrating large-scale works that the Environment Agency is planning.
As an example of a joint partnership approach the Environment Agency is supporting a community group in the Hanneys where residents felt that actions could be taken to reduce the consequences of and increase the ability of the community to meet future flooding events, following 2007 floods all over Oxfordshire.
Hanneys Group objectives;
1. Reduce the probability of flooding below 1 in 25 years for properties in East Hanney and West Hanney taking into account any effects on down stream properties, farmers and the environment
2. Help residents of East and West Hanney should flooding occur
3. Engage with local landowners and help where appropriate to improve drainage
4. Inform and engage with local residents, Parish, District and County councils and other local flood groups
Some of the activities undertaken to date include gravel removal, silt removal, bank improvements and weed clearance.
Contact Email:
Contact Via http://www.thehanneysfloodgroup.org.uk
Organisation:
Vale of White Horse District Council & The Hanneys Flood Group.
Funding Details:
The action group volunteers do the work with funding and advice from the councils and the Environment Agency.
Status:
Ongoing
Website relating to case study:
EA Flood Action Map - http://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/Images/Flood%20risk%20actions%20and%20useful%20information-Hanneys1_tcm4-3371.pdf
Organisation’s website:
http://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk or http://www.thehanneysfloodgroup.org.uk
Keywords relating to this case study:
Flooding, Water Resource Management, Community Engagement
South East groups case study relates to:
Communities
