Where were they when it mattered?
While your Residents' Association Councillors and officers had their wellies on from dawn on the day of the flood, helping out and making sure there was continuing pressure on the authorities to act effectively, you will not have seen any candidates or officers from the local political parties. You can bet you'll see them three weeks before the next elections, though! The parties have also said nothing about the hardship caused to the electorate by the floods. You can check out their websites from our links page. Hard to find any item at all about their policy for Thames Ditton and Weston Green, never mind the flood.
Stiff
Our MP, Ian Taylor (Con), has however reacted: he is reported to have somewhat belatedly sent "the stiffest message ever to the Chairman of Thames Water..... I shall fight hard for the damage to be fully covered."
Readers, please lobby your MP if you have insurance shortfalls, and let us know how this hard fighting goes.
Not 'on message'
Now, we value the work that our MP for Esher and Walton, Ian Taylor, has done at a national level for this constituency over the years, and particularly for his continuing support over the provision of local health care. The Residents' Association was the main lobbyist in the successful campaign to get Thames Water to tackle the issue of foul water and sewage problems in Thames Ditton and, while it was behind the curve, we welcomed Ian's public position earlier this year that he also approved this effort. On this occasion, we're sure you will conclude that the 'stiffest message ever' to Thames Water was well-intended and not merely political cosmetics. But we have to assume that Ian has been badly advised on this issue (he has a publicly-funded staffing allowance of £84,081). Had Ian, or his advisers, actually visited the village while it was stricken, he would have known that Thames Water responded very quickly and thoroughly to the emergency, which hit a main that had passed its earlier random tests as sound and where there was no reason to think it vulnerable. They identified and isolated the burst main swiftly, repaired it with the minimum disruption within 48 hours, and their loss adjusters were present and going round the affected households within hours - and well before Ian's stiff letter calling for them to do this - so we're sure he won't be claiming credit for that. We are the first to criticise Thames Water when they fall down on the job - but credit where it's due: this time, they did well.
Come on Ian, join with us to DO something
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The episode highlighted the perennial problem of bad drainage along Station Road and the top end of Speer Road, on which the Residents' Association has lobbied for several years. It is the responsibility of Surrey County Council. Since his election to Surrey CC as RA Councillor for the Dittons last year, Peter Hickman has made great efforts to get officials and contractors to fix this and many other things. How it goes is like this: Councillor exerts pressure; officials schedule a visit; contractors are then tasked with cleaning drains and report back that they have done so (but have they??); next shower of rain reveals that drains are still blocked (or collapsed?).
So, Ian, if you really wish to do something for your constituents in this area, please send the 'stiffest message ever' to your Conservative-controlled Surrey County Council to ensure they give some priority to really fixing this problem rather than just going through the motions. While you're about it, please join your weight with ours concerning the perennial problem of flooding under Esher station bridge, that affects many a nationally-Conservative voter on their way to and from their homes! |
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