Flood action meeting called

A PUBLIC meeting to discuss the current flood defence situation in Lewes is to be addressed by Lewes MP Norman Baker at Lewes Town Hall at 8pm on Thursday.

It has been called by Lewes Flood Action, the group representing the interests of people whose houses or small businesses were flooded in October, 2000.

This will be the first major meeting to discuss the situation since September when the Environment Agency outlined what it had done and what it planned to do to avert future catastrophe in Lewes.

Said a Flood Action spokesman: 'Since then public anxiety has grown over the threat of serious insurance and mortgage problems looming at the end of this year, over the lack of solid information about Ouse flood defence plans, and over the apparent inability of the county council to obtain proper local and Governmental funding for flood protection.'

The meeting will hear the latest position on flood insurance and an Environment Agency report on where it has got to on planning of defences.

Flood Action chairman Paul Mockford said: 'Everyone here needs to know exactly what is going on as regards flood issues because the very future of Lewes is at stake.

'Lewes Flood Action wants people to start using their democratic muscle to get real progress in dealing with these problems rather than the usual vague promises of action.'