PLANS for a public forum to help people deal with future flooding issues is under consideration in Alcester.
The initiative comes after the downpours from Storms Ciara and Dennis left river levels on the Alne and the Arrow, which meet in Alcester, alarmingly high.
Town councillor and former mayor Andrew Foster, a member of the town’s flood prevention team, said although river levels had not reached the heights of last November, it was wise to plan ahead.
He told the Observer: “One of the things we have been talking about are the limitations we as a town council can do.
“We have about 20 flood volunteers ready to go out and start filling sandbags if they are needed,” he said.
“However we have about 120 properties at risk of flooding and those volunteers wouldn’t be able to fill enough sandbags in enough time – we are never going to have the capacity to do that.
“So we’re looking at communicating with residents to tell them how best they can prepare themselves for a flood, perhaps through a public forum.”
He added the Environment Agency was already looking at beefing up the town’s flood defences by raising the height of the berms
– mounds of earth which can deflect the water away from homes – in Abbey Fields which protect properties in School Road.
So far they have been doing their job but Coun Foster said the Environment Agency was looking to raise them in the summer to add a higher level of protection.
Following the impact of Storm Dennis the Environment Agency put out an amber warning for the area however an examination of river level gauges on the Alne and the Arrow found they were on average 20cms lower than in November 2019.
