A MAJOR flood alleviation scheme in Moreton-in-Marsh is making considerable progress in spite of delays and should be completed by the summer.

A party of town, district and county councillors visited the works site on Monday (March 13) and reviewed the creation of a series of new culverts and ditches to reduce flood risk. 

The party included Cllr Sue Coakley, Cotswold District Council (CDC) cabinet member for the environment and chair of the Moreton Flood Alleviation Board.

“It’s good to get up close to the construction workers and machines that are making Moreton a much safer place,” she said.  

“We wanted to ensure that Moreton would have first class defences against the threat of flooding and I am pleased to report that our stated aim is well on the way to becoming a reality.

“Now that I have seen this scheme with my own eyes, I have a much better appreciation of the complexity and scale of this project, and the physical obstacles which have resulted in several unavoidable delays and significant extra costs,” she added.

Her thoughts were echoed by Cllr Vernon Smith, Gloucestershire County Council cabinet member for highways and floods, and Cllr Nigel Moor, county councillor for the area including Moreton.

A joint statement from the pair said: “Working alongside other councils, the Environment Agency and other organisations, together with the support of Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, GCC is committed to improving resilience across the county. 

“Providing first class flooding defences in Moreton has been one of our top priorities, and also one of the most challenging. 

“It’s very satisfying to see the plans now coming to fruition and we look forward to the completion of the project in the next few months.”

Cllr Michael Lucas of Moreton Town Council said: “This development is great news for the residents of Moreton. 

“This final stage of the work to reduce flood risk follows on from a range of initial projects that have been instrumental in lessening the risk over the last few years.  

“The combined effect of all these improvements should ensure that we will not return to the ‘dark days’ of 2007 when Moreton and surrounding areas could not cope with a severe deluge.”