AYLESBURY’S MP has called for more support for residents after some gardens were flooded with up to ten inches of raw sewage last week following non-stop rain from Storm Alex.
The grim discovery was also made at Pebble Brook School after a weekend of flooding chaos in the town and many other parts of the UK.
READ MORE: Aylesbury left underwater after flooding overwhelms town
Having spoken to the residents affected by the raw sewage issues, Aylesbury MP Rob Butler stood up in parliament to ask how the government will protect communities against flooding in the future.
Mr Butler said: “Last weekend my constituency of Aylesbury suffered one of the wettest October days since records began.
“Homes and businesses were flooded, raw sewage engulfed gardens and even a school playground.
“Can my right honourable friend advise me of the best parliamentary means to safeguard against similar events in the future and ensure there are adequate flood defences when many thousands of houses are projected to be built in an area of flood risk in Aylesbury and the surrounding villages?”
Mr Butler visited Pebble Brook School on Tuesday following its closure on Monday owing to the raw sewage issue.
READ MORE: New 1,000 place secondary school coming to Aylesbury
The MP, who visited several other parts of the district affected by the floods, went to Weedon Road in Aylesbury where some residents reported their gardens being flooded with up to ten inches of raw sewage.
Mr Butler said it was “shocking” to see gardens on this road “strewn with toilet paper” and covered in “filthy water”.
Responding to Mr Butler, cabinet member Jacob Rees Mogg said he ‘deeply sympathised’ with all those affected by the floods.
He added: “It is a terrible thing to happen when raw sewage is involved, particularly problematic for the clean-up that has to follow.
“The government is spending record amounts to help protect communities from the threat of flooding including £5.2 billion as a long-term package to protect homes, businesses and jobs between 2021 and 2027.”
The cabinet member also told the Aylesbury MP to take this issue up with ministers and “keep campaigning for Aylesbury”.
As the Free Press reported earlier this week, much of Aylesbury Vale was left underwater over the weekend owing to the non-stop rain caused by Storm Alex.
READ MORE: Aylesbury Vale village will get 121 new homes
Bin collections were postponed because of the impact of the torrential rain.
Aylesbury’s community rallied to help those most affected by the water problems with the town council deploying flood defences, too.
Mr Butler has also called on Thames Water to provide more help to those worst affected following the floods.
In a statement, he added: “Residents have done their best to clean up, but they desperately need help and I call on Thames Water to do everything possible to assist.”
“The rainfall over the weekend was some of the worst ever experienced in the county.
“I want to thank Thames Valley Police, Bucks Fire & Rescue Service, Buckinghamshire Council, Transport for Bucks, local residents, churches and other organisations for their tireless work to keep people safe, protect property and ensure the resumption of local services as soon as possible.”
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