HOUSEHOLDERS affected by flooding are being encouraged to attend a public meeting to hold representatives to account. 

Flooding has repeatedly affected communities in Cirencester, Siddington and South Cerney.

Civic leaders and officials from the county and district councils, town and parish councils, Thames Water, Environment Agency and Cotswold MP Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown will all be in Cirencester to speak about continued flood resilience work across the area. 

Cirencester mayor Sabrina Dixon said it was an opportunity for residents to hold those responsible to account. 

She said: “This is an opportunity for statutory organisations to report back on any action they have taken towards flood resilience, hopefully encouraging collaboration at a local level. 

“As this meeting is open to the public, I encourage all those personally affected by flooding in our area to use this meeting to hold those responsible to account.” 

More than 70 homes in Cirencester and the surrounding area flooded in the winter of 2020/21.

One family in Dugdale Road spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in 2020 bailing flood water out of their house, whilst another house in Coxwell Street suffered flooding in their kitchen.

Previously, Cotswold District Council leader Joe Harris described the scenes of sewage flooding in the area. 

He said in January 2021: "No one in the 21st century should have to spend Christmas in their wellies surrounded by floodwater containing human excrement, tissue paper and used sanitary products.

“Gardens were submerged by sewage water, carers were forced to wade through dirty water to see patients and many elderly residents were without power or water which forced them to have to leave their homes.

READ MORE: Homes flooded in Cirencester and 76 left without power on Christmas Day

READ MORE: New sewer system to help stop flooding in Cirencester

In December 2021 Thames Water installed a new sewer system connecting 850 existing properties in Chesterton to the network in efforts to reduce flooding. 

A spokesperson for Cirencester Town Council said: “This is an opportunity for residents of Cirencester as well as South Cerney, Cerney Wick, Siddington, Fairford and Lechlade to hear and ask questions of the continued flood resilience work taking place. 

“But to also speak with officials from the county and district councils, town and parish councils, Thames Water and Environment Agency.”

The public meeting will take place on Friday, October 21 at 10.30am at Cotswold District Council, Trinity Road, Cirencester. 

Questions should be e-mailed to elliott.chang@parliament.uk no later than Monday, October 17.