FLOOD DEFENCE MEETING CALLED

The move comes in the week of the sixth anniversary of the floods that brought major disruption to the town cnetre.

The council announced at lunchtime it had brokered a private meeting of representatives from agencies and groups with a direct interest in the floods with a view to progressing the issue.

The meeting is to be held at Uckfield Civic Centre on the evening of November 9.

The Environment Agency and the town council will be represented and invitations have also gone to the district and the county councils, to South East Water, to the Uckfield Flood Forum and the group formed by some residents of Olives Meadow.

The town council has been fortunate to obtain the services of Mary Dhonau, the National Co-ordinator for the National Flood Forum, who has agreed to facilitate the meeting and to help those present to focus on moving the issue forward.

The meeting has been designed to allow full and frank discussion.

A spokesman said: 'The town council's wish is that the meeting will look to establish a procedure for addressing the threat of flooding and minimising the disruption that would occur'

Cllr Louise Eastwood, Town Mayor, said, 'The town council wants everyone at the meeting to focus on the future and not on the promises made six years ago. Hopefully, all interested parties can find common ground for working together for the benefit of all concerned, to meet the challenge that flooding brings.'