On the third anniversary of Gloucestershire’s devastating floods, the county council is keen to secure the completion of schemes promised to the county.

Cllr Stan Waddington, Cabinet member for environment, has written to Richard Benyon, MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Natural Environment and Fisheries to find out what is planned for the five schemes: * Lydney * Daniels Brook, Quedgeley * Slad Brook, Stroud * Horsbere Brook, Longlevens * Prestbury In his letter, Cllr Waddington informs the minister the county council has already invested around £11 million in flood alleviation scheme and, most importantly, that it has pledged money to support the five planned Environment Agency schemes.

Since 2007 the county council has completed 117 highway drainage schemes, introduced a regular clearing programme for the county’s 135,000 gullies and provided match funding to the six district councils for works in their area.

He also reminds the minister of how badly Gloucestershire was hit by floods in 2007 with 4,500 homes and 500 businesses flooded.

In his letter, Cllr Waddington said: “We fully understand the financial climate and the understandable and inevitable drive to reduce the public sector deficit. However, given the time and development that has gone into the preparation of these schemes and their advanced state we hope that the funding commitment will be honoured. We seek your reassurance that the central government and Environment Agency funding previously awarded to these schemes promised to Gloucestershire will remain and the schemes will be delivered.”

To date the EA has completed one scheme pledged to Gloucestershire – at Deerhurst.