Open mind is needed
WITH reference to the letter ‘Village flood problems’ (Express October 25), I replied to Mr Weaver’s first letter because he said no properties flooded in the village.
I now know he has lived in the village 15 years longer than I have, but I still do not know if he thinks his statement was accurate or not.
The spillway was cut so quickly it did surprise many, including officers from the Environment Agency (they told me). Those people who were in the know might have shared the information more widely.
Shortly before I was told the spillway had been cut, I received a downbeat reply to yet another appeal for help I made to Alec Shelbroke MP. His letter indicated the project was still mired in the legal problems that had delayed it for years. If Alec Shelbroke was indeed the catalyst, he deserves a big thank you from us all.
So there was more water in St Aidan’s than usual! It could be as Mr Weaver suggests. It could be the spillway did function. I still think an open mind is needed.
Mr Weaver says St Aidan’s holds ‘three million cubic metres of water’. So why have we been told the capacity is about seven million cubic metres? I’ve copies of letters to city councillors saying this.
I think his take of my and other people’s decision to live and/or run businesses in the lower part of the village is a tad inappropriate for a community representative who wants us all to ‘pull together’. It is estimated over four million people nationwide live on flood plains. Are we all to be written off?
Just because there are flood plains, it does not mean they have to flood. That was the point of Mr Weaver’s first letter. Barnsdale Road crosses a flood plain, but it does not have to flood. His call to arms is about a road not flooding, perhaps he wouldn’t mind a few of us including businesses and homes in the campaign.
I have written to the parish council on a number of occasions congratulating them on their great work. I am happy to pay the precept, but I’d appreciate more awareness from those who spend it.
We should be singing from the same song sheet. I have thought of a catchy title for the first song: Open Minds, Open Roads.
MARTIN DOVE
Flood Warden
Barnsdale Road
Allerton Bywater
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Weather for Wakefield
Sunday 19 May 2013
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