"Water water everywhere - whenever it rains", says Hazel Laming

11.51.35pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 27th Jun 2007

Blocked drain, with swirling water.

'Why is it every time we want a flooding problem sorted out, it needs a councillor to intervene?' asks Hatfield Central LibDem councillor Hazel Laming; 'Such as when I had to get involved helping a Hatfield family whose house was surrounded by water each time it rained heavily. This was because a drain had not been properly unblocked when Herts Highways attended to the problem. 'Hatfield is sinking under the weight of floods every time it rains'.

'We need a concerted approach to getting rid of this problem - my LibDem colleague Malcolm Cowan has got Herts Highways to recognise they need to respond to complaints of flooding, not just say there was no problem when they got there to investigate. But we need to go further - Herts Highways need to be proactive and go out when there is heavy rain and record the flooding sites, then fix the problems pronto, not wait for the public to report them' she says.

And it's not just the public roads, the Homebase car park at Oldings corner is another notorious place. 'It has been getting flooded for years - you would think a DIY store would want to show it can solve these problems, but you still get the risk of returning to your car and finding 10 yards or more of deepening water between you and your vehicle' Hazel added.

'As the photo shows, the pool is of great fun to children in wellies, but the joke is well over for adults. Time for Herts Highways and Homebase to get their act together Hazel concluded.

Wellie walk, Homebase car park.

For further information, contact Hazel Laming on 264756.