"Tough winter ahead": Areas around Reading ramp-up work to stop floods

The town and surrounding areas were hit with heavy downpours as stormy weather swept the nation on Monday, September 23.

A month's worth of rain fell in 24 hours across some regions, leading to the Met Office to issue a yellow weather warning for much of England. 

The downpours in Reading saw parts of the IDR flooded on Monday, as well as power cuts affecting West Berkshire Council's HQ and some parts of Thatcham and Tadley. 

Now councillors around the outskirts of Reading are warning that local waterway levels have remained high over the summer - as neighbourhoods scramble to secure cash as they speed-up flood prevention works. 

Newbury Town Council is allocating £9,000 to a local flooding forum, with the money set to provide residents with sandbag-style flood prevention measures. 

Liberal Democrat Councillor Nigel Foot, who represents the Newbury Clay Hill ward, said that the River Lambourn was at an extremely high level - and that local measures to tackle flooding were still finding their feet. 

Speaking on Wednesday, September 25, Cllr Foot said: "We have a rise in the Lambourn of 16cm in the last 24 hours, which is pretty unheard of, particularly for September. 

"The ground water levels have not greatly receded across all of the summer.

"We're starting from a very high point. We're going to have a tough winter ahead - and it's not looking good.

"But we are doing our best."

The Newbury Flood Forum - made up of residents, town councillors, and flood wardens - had laid relatively dormant from 2014 until last winter, according to Cllr Foot, who said the group was essentially "starting from scratch" this year. 

He said: "It's not been tested."

Drone footage from January shows flooded properties around Reading - now residents are warned this winter could see a return of similar scenes. Credit: Fly Sky Drones (Image: NQ) Meanwhile towards the east of Reading in Sonning, councillors report renewed efforts to prepare for flooding, after last winter's floods hit properties and forced The Mill theatre to cancel performances as staff and customers faced knee-deep flood waters. 

Liberal Democrat Councillor Leigh Rawlins, representing Sonning Common on South Oxfordshire District Council, said residents were becoming increasingly concerned about what this winter has in store. 

He said: "Eye and Dunsden Parish Council are definitely working to update their flood prevention plans for this year."

A report to the council's policy committee demonstrated that 55 properties were affected by the floods in January, with 34 properties suffering from flooding around the property, while flood waters breached the inside of 21 properties across the town.