paul.goodwin@doncastertoday.co.uk

LOCAL authorities should be legally responsible for the effective drainage of their area, an influential Commons committee investigating last summer’s floods has claimed.

The powerful Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee, which last week branded the Government’s pledge to spend an extra £200m on flood defences as “inadequate”, has described the national infra-structure currently in place to cope with heavy rainfall as being in an “unclear and chaotic state”.

And MPs sitting on the panel want councils to have more accountability for the waterworks in their locality.

Home owners or landlords are currently responsible for drainage and sewerage issues on private property - which means Doncaster Council is only responsible for the maintenance and repair of private drains and sewers located directly underneath the borough’s council housing stock.

Jane Miller, Director for Neighbourhoods, said: "The council is absolutely committed to minimising the impact of flooding on residents living in Doncaster.

“Since the floods of last summer we have begun inspecting gullies more regularly and all gullies on roads affected by flooding have been cleaned, in addition to the normal rolling programme of gully-cleaning that we undertake.

“It is important to remember that last summer's weather was extraordinary, and no amount of preparation could have prevented the large-scale disruption and damage that occurred because of the sheer amount of rain that fell. "However, we are putting in place neighbourhood flood action plans, to enable us to respond as effectively as possible in the future.”

Yorkshire Water, which currently maintains the majority of larger public sewers in the borough, has also pledged to work with local authorities and the Environment Agency to develop a long-term solution to prevent surface water flooding.

A spokesman said: “We support the committee’s very practical recommendations for better working across agencies in the future and we support the view that local authorities should take the lead in reviewing drainage plans for their local area as the principal highways and planning authority.”

A report published by the Environment Agency, which also welcomed the EFRA report, said drainage design standards should be reviewed to ensure sewerage systems work with less water.

Ian Barker, head of water resources, said: ”Our towns and cities cannot function without drains and sewers. But as rainfall becomes less predictable as climate change bites, we have to become more efficient with water.