There's bound to be a flood of interest in an important Aughton meeting next month after MP Rosie Cooper's announced that the Chief Executive of water regulator Ofwat - https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/ has agreed to come and speak to local residents on some of the vital work they do and how they work with utility companies on investment plans to mitigate flooding risks.

Ofwat ensures that water companies properly carry out their statutory functions, that sewerage licensees properly carry out their activities and further the resilience objective to secure the long-term resilience of water companies’ water supply and wastewater systems.

Also at the meeting will be representatives from a range of flooding and drainage related agencies and bodies including West Lancashire Borough Council, Lancashire County Council, the Environment Agency (EA) as well as the National Farmers Union, local parish councils and residents’ flood action groups. Emergency Services have also been invited who often aid during and in the aftermath of flooding.

Along with a presentation from Ofwat's Chief Executive Cathryn Ross on its role and its links to flooding, United Utilities (UU) will also be delivering a presentation and fielding questions from members of the public about their role, and their network with increasing house building in West Lancashire.

Finally, Environment Agency have also agreed to update the meeting on the Alt Crossens flood pump situation, with the pumps initially due to be switched off last July.

West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper told QLocal: "I am delighted that Cathryn Ross has agreed to come and speak with us here in West Lancashire on some of the vital work they do and how they work with utility companies on investment plans to mitigate flooding risks. This meeting will give local residents a more high level, strategic look how national organisations can help us locally.

“Having such a high profile speaker will ensure we continue to shine the spotlight on the flooding and drainage issues we have here in West Lancashire. It’s easy to forget just how vulnerable we are when there hasn’t been a flooding incident for a while, but homes and businesses have been ravaged in recent years, notably the Boxing Day floods of 2015.

“We must continue to work all year round to build up our flood resilience, address the issues causing the flooding, from blocked gulleys to farmfield runoff to over development, and ensure we are doing all we can to protect homes and businesses in West Lancashire.”

The Flooding Public Information meeting will take place at 7pm on Friday 3rd November at Christ Church in Aughton. Attendance is for West Lancashire residents only and must be confirmed by RSVP to rosie@rosiecooper.net or ring 01695 570094 as space is limited.

MP Rosie has long been campaigning around the issues of flooding locally, and has been supportive in the setup of local residents’ flood action groups in Ormskirk, Burscough and Parbold.

She continues to campaign for investment in West Lancashire and against the turning off of the Alt Crossens flood pumps. She is also campaigning for the setting up of an Internal Drainage Board (IDB) and securing funding from central government for this, and the MP has met with Flooding Ministers in the past and also sits on the all Party Parliamentary Group on Flood Prevention.