I WOULD refer to your letters page of January 16 and the letter by Cllr Boyland on the River Roding flood concerns. The letter is both unreasonable and unjustified.

Unreasonable because the borough officers he appears to be criticising do not publicly challenge a councillor and unjustified because all necessary action was taken in preparation for flooding. Fortunately it did not happen.

Owing to sickness and annual leave by the council leader and deputy leader, I took a personal interest in the Roding situation.

When the risk was apparent over the New Year the emergency control room was opened and a director was managing the process.

Borough officers were placed at the bridges by Charlie Brown's roundabout and by Snakes Lane East. I know as I visited them several times during the critical period but did not see Cllr Boyland once.

I do not seek to minimise the risk which was at its greatest when the Environment Agency closed the Thames Barrier when the tide was coming in.

At that time the Barking barrier on the Roding was also closed to stop the 'back-up' coming inland. This caused our part of the Roding to rise alarmingly but before it could cause serious problems the tide turned and all barriers were lifted. The level then started to go down.

Police were on alert all the time and borough officers leafleted vulnerable areas. I believe that this was known to Cllr Boyland before he tried to make cheap political points.

Regarding his comments on a public meeting with the Environment Agency on the results of its 'hydraulic test' of the river, this was promised for last February.

Cllr Boyland did indeed ask for this at the last area one meeting but he omitted to mention that I first asked for it last July as the study was supposed to have been completed by then.

CLLR ALLAN BURGESS, Wanstead Ward, Redbridge Council.

January 29, 2003 15:00