Bassetlaw leader pushes government for flood defences

His letter comes after heavy rain brought about by Storm Dennis threatened to flood the town again.

Councillor Simon Greaves is in discussions with the Environment Agency to see old flood channels in ‘pinch point’ areas such as Shelley Street reopened.

The channels would see water quickly routed to flood plains in areas such as that on the other side of Bracebridge.

He said: “We need to get back to basics and we need to see investment in shaping the land levels.

“I’m keen that a scheme of this kind is fully specced-up to make sure that any assessment doesn’t leave Worksop disadvantaged.”

Coun Greaves says there is a perception that Worksop has been brushed-off by the government and the Environment Agency in favour of cities like Sheffield or wealthier towns.

The Bassetlaw leader said priority for flood mitigation measures was given to places with higher ‘gross value added’ in terms of the goods or services they produce.

Last week the council leader sent another letter to environment minister George Eustice asking the Environment Agency to ‘fast track’ a review of plans for widening Retford Beck.

The beck is used to channel surface water however during Storm Dennis mobile pumps were brought in to protect properties in the town’s Grove Lane.

A poll launched on Facebook group Worksop Independence found dredging River Ryton was seen as a priority for people in the town.

Roger Stocks, who founded the group, said that this was now urgent as since the November floods ‘nothing has been done in the town centre’.

He said: “In 2008 tonnes were dredged from the river but nothing has been done since then.

“There’s a feeling that if this was a river somewhere down south something would have been done immediately.”

Coun Greaves said his submissions to the environment minister also included a request for pinch point areas to be remotely-monitored by cameras - allowing the Environment Agency to respond quickly when needed.