Cllrs Grime< Smith and Davidson
WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones has joined forces with councillors at Culcheth to launch a “save our village green” campaign following disastrous flooding which led to the cancellation of the village community day.
Ms Jones, with Culcheth and Glazebury councillors Matt Smith, Joan Grime and Jan Davidson kick-started the campaign by writing to the borough council calling for urgent action to install adequate draining on the green.
Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council were forced to call off the event on Saturday because heavy rain had flooded the green.
A number of stallholders arrived to set up stalls but left after taking one look at the flooded green.
It was the second time the community day – which normally raises thousands of pounds for local charities and community groups – had been called off.
The green was badly flooded on the original scheduled day in May.
Ms Jones said: “I have been contacted by a number of my constituents who have highlighted the problems affecting Culcheth’s village green.
“The green is one of the last remaining big open spaces in Warrington North and is used widely by many groups and organisations in this part of my constituency.
“It is disappointing to see the drainage problems getting worse over the past few months. The decision to cancel this year’s Community Day will have been a big disappointment to many charities and worthwhile causes who come together for the day.
“That is why I believe it is vital that the borough council take action now, to ensure things do not get any worse. We must protect this immensely valuable community resource and ensure that no future events held in the centre of the village are put in jeopardy because of the poor drainage.”
In a joint statement, the three local councillors said: “Even light rain leads to pools of standing water across the field – simply put, the existing drainage cannot cope and there are parts of the field which are starting to sink! The village green is the centrepiece of our community – we are committed to ensuring that everything possible is done to protect it and secure its use for future generations.”
The councillors said they were aware the borough had commissioned costings but felt they now needed to treat the problem with greater urgency.
“The cancellation of this year’s Community Day should send a signal that this cannot be allowed to go on any longer. We want the council
to progress their discussions with United Utilities, and make a firm commitment that they will fund a complete drainage scheme for Culcheth village green from the capital programme.”
1 Comment
I am very sorry that the community day was so badly affected this year and praise to the local parish council for trying to stage this event. This isn’t about bad drainage, it is about very bad weather conditions. Having worked in the water industry, to start putting drainage on areas as large of this will cost significant sums of money (possibly seven figures). When people across the country are faced with their houses being flooded and their livelihoods lost, then it would be very hard to suggest a field like this should have huge capital sums of money diverted to it just to save the community day. A much better way of doing things would be to prepare a plan B – i.e to move it to somewhere like the new car park at Shaw Street. It would be second best and not be on the village green but at least it could go ahead. I feel really sorry for al those concerned here and they deserve our respect but our weather is awful and very worrying and drainage at the village green is not the answer as protecting homes and business has to be the priority for any drainage spends.