If it seems that we’re getting a bit obsessed with the flooding issues in Thurrock, particularly those afflicting Stanford-le-Hope, it’s because we have a lot of skin in the game. If it hadn’t been for the drains starting to work when they did on the night of Wednesday 20.10, I wouldn’t be sitting here writing this post, I’d still be clearing out and cleaning up the ground floor of a flood damaged house: Again FFS! – October 21, 2021.

So when the buck passing starts between the various authorities, agencies and utility companies who all have some responsibility for dealing with flooding issues, we understandably get more than a little bit pissed off! Living in a house at risk of flooding pretty much makes any long term planning for the future a pointless exercise. On top of the shite we’ve had to endure with 18 months of life disrupting lockdowns, this is pretty much the last straw for us:(

This is how Thurrock Nub News have covered the buck passing: So who is telling the truth? Contradictions in Thurrock over severity of flooding problems. Anglian Water also play down the threat – days after residents had water pumped from their homes and others fought battle with brushes and sandbags. Look, we realise there are a complex range of factors contributing to the flooding issues across Thurrock. This is why we want a proper, holistic overview of why these floods are happening, along with some proper joined up thinking on developing and implementing solutions. We don’t want to be fobbed off with platitudes and so called ‘reports’ into the situation that don’t really get anywhere near the root causes of the problem: Not the holistic look at the January floods in Thurrock that we were hoping for – July 13, 2021.

There’s a glimmer of good news in that a number of Thurrock councillors in wards that have been hit by flooding are getting on the case. We’ve had some interesting feedback from one of the councillors for the Stanford West ward where we live. Being cynical for a moment, it could be that they realise enough people are being hit by the flooding to make a difference come the local elections next May if there are no signs of action on the issue! We’d like to think it’s because ward councillors actually care about the people they represent… However, if the councillors really look into the issue, they’ll have to confront the uncomfortable truth that some of the planning decisions made by the council, plus some proposals in the pipeline, aren’t exactly helping the situation.

The only way out of this situation is joined up, holistic thinking along with joined up, holistic solutions. That will require a degree of honesty and transparency that we have yet to see from Thurrock Council or any of the utility companies and agencies that each have some responsibility for dealing with flooding. To put it bluntly, it will require either a miracle or a lot of sustained pressure from those of us at the sharp end of this situation. Somehow, we think it’s going to be the latter – we’ve got a long fight ahead of us…