Flood of thanks for ‘can-do councillors’
Left: flood water
surrounding the Relfs’ home in Forstal Road.
Right:
Happy days – at last a watercourse runs freely near the Relfs’ cottage
A RETIRED couple are full of praise for two councillors who came to their rescue to re- solve a persistent flooding threat to their home. A year ago, the Downs Mail highlighted
the plight of Raymond and Mary Relf after heavy rain had yet again submerged their garden. The water level was so high it was com-
ing through the air vents at their cottage, which is in a dip on Sandling Road, be- tween the Running Horse roundabout and the M20 bridge. The Relfs were stranded – their family
had to circle round the back of the property to reach their parents on foot. Worse still, they felt the problem they had faced since moving into White Cottage 45 years agowas never going to be sorted out. But 12 months on, the smiles have re- turned to their faces. And it’s all down to the perseverance of two borough council- lors,Wendy Hinder and Malcolm Greer.
The problems had been caused by a build-
up of brambles, undergrowth and as- sorted rubbish that was blocking drains and culverts. The floodwater literally had nowhere to go but the Relfs’ garden; their home was flooded twice and on many other occasions they feared the worst. But no longer is that the case. Cllr Hinder had tried for four years to find
a solution, though to no avail. So she in- volved fellow Tory, Cllr Greer, who has an engineering background. He was able to get borough council staff
and county highways engineers to combine their expertise to tackle the issue. Weeks of painstaking investigation and clearance work paid off. Water is running freely down the drains and through the pre- viously blocked culverts. Now, the Relfs can rest easy whenever there is a downpour - and they cannot thank their councillors enough. Mrs Relf said: “Wendy and Malcolm have
been so helpful. They have been really bril- liant. “Last time there was a flood, a few months
ago, the water was half way up the garden fence and it was coming in our air vents.We could hear it trickling in under the floor- boards. “If it was not for those two, nothing would
have happened.” Mr Relf said: “It’s nice to know when it
rains hard we are not going to get uptight. I think they have cured it this time.” Cllr Greer, who is the council’s cabinet member for regeneration, said: “This was a fantasticeffort by KCC, with us driving it on the MBC side. Now we’ve got all the water- ways and culverts cleared. It’s a good ex- ample of what can be done when we all work together.” He added: “One of the main problems was residents dumping garden waste on the land, being washed down, blocking the cul- verts.”
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