While helping to clear up some flood damage yesterday, the following question was heard: “What does the parish council say about flooding in the neighbourhood plan they published recently?”
We thought this was a very good question so we downloaded a copy of the neighbourhood plan the parish council put together and published four months ago. Here’s what it says about flooding:
New major development should ensure the following matters are considered:
- Incorporating sustainable drainage systems and green spaces to promote biodiversity and alleviate flooding
What nonsense is this?
Let’s examine that wording for a moment.
For a start, the use of the word ‘should’ means whatever follows is non-binding and therefore meaningless. The word ‘must’ has impact and commits to an action. The word ‘should’ is advisory and commits to no action at all.
But the neighbourhood plan seems to believe that it’s up to a developer to maybe perhaps think about mulling over whether or not they might like to consider possibly doing something – or not – about the flooding which is occurring now and which has been occurring for years.
There is nothing in the parish council’s neighbourhood plan – nothing – about taking remedial action with regard to the worsening flooding the village is enduring.
This is a wonderful example of defective thinking from a parish council that seems bent on portraying itself as a bunch of incompetent buffoons devoid of clear-headed, critical thinking.
Where’s the accountability? And where’s the experience the village must have and why isn’t that experience on – and running – the parish council?
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