YORK residents have been exposed to increased flooding due to years of neglect, lack of drainage maintenance and poor decision-making, a damning new report has admitted.

Officials at City of York Council have produced a special report into June's flash flooding, and have examined dozens of drains and sewers, finding problems across the city.

York Press:

Catherine Norman captured this photo in June, at the junction of Melrosegate and Burlington Avenue in Tang Hall

Steve Wragg, the council's flood risk and asset manager, said in a written report, that the intensity of the rainfall in York on June 10 and 12 made some degree of degree of surface flooding likely, but he said: "Our investigations have shown that a lack of routine maintenance in past years has exacerbated the situation in York with around half the gulleys investigated found to be blocked with debris."

The council has been warned repeatedly in recent years that long-lasting underinvestment has exacerbated problems.

Some gulleys now need major repair and Mr Wragg said there is a risk of a repeat of June's problems, while his team worked to carry out all the required work.

York Press: Newly appointed Flood Risk Manager, Steve Wragg Picture Frank Dwyer (7563294)

Steve Wragg, City of York Council's flood risk and asset manager

His report focused on June's flooding, caused by intense rainfall and drainage issues, rather than last December's wider flooding that resulted from increased river levels.

Cllr Andrew Waller, council executive member for the environment, said: "I had asked for a thorough investigation and review so that the full picture of where we are can be detailed, and so that a way forward can be mapped out."

He added: "I will be making the case for additional resources to match the scale of the problem. We are looking at additionally hundreds of thousands of pounds."

He said the council should adjust its budget priorities to ensure the work could be done as it was a frontline service that residents expected their council tax to fund. He also said the council had to work closely with other organisations, such as Yorkshire Water, to ensure work was carried out where needed. 

Mr Wragg wrote: "It is clear from the number of blocked gulleys encountered in this flooding incident that previous gulley cleansing operations were not effective and were likely driven on the quantity of work done rather than the requirement for it to be effective and deliver a cleansed asset.

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"It is probable that operatives did not leave each asset in a running condition and only 'cosmetic' cleansing was carried out. A reactive cleansing service is retained to address any additional issues as they arise."

Surveys since June found that:

  • In Huntington Road, half of the gulleys were blocked, with the problem exacerbated by debris and building materials from the repairs following last December's floods
  • n Bell Farm Avenue, almost all of the 23 gulleys were blocked or heavily silted up.
  • In Bad Bargain Lane, a sewer not even recorded by Yorkshire Water was found to be blocked and half of the gulleys were blocked.
  • In Roache Avenue, almost all 16 gulleys were fully or partially blocked and a sewer needs further investigation.
  • In Middleham Avenue, builders' debris and hard debris were found in almost all 26 gulleys
  • In Etty Avenue, two thirds of the gulleys were blocked with litter, hard debris and building materials.
  • In Burlington Avenue, a third of the gulleys were blocked by litter and hard debris
  • In Wolfe Avenue, almost all 13 gulleys were blocked
  • In Walney Road, two thirds of gulleys and one surface water sewer were blocked and a length of unrecorded pipework has been investigated

In contrast, Rufforth was cited as having few problems, thanks to a range of works over the past year and subsequent maintenance.

York Press:

Walney Road in June. Picture: Sue Boyne

So far, the council has investigated 8,000 gulleys but work is continuing at a further 33,000. Any found not to be operating properly will be investigated more fully, and repairs will be funded where necessary, said Mr Wragg. The findings from the first 8,000 gulleys are being recorded to improve future maintenance.

Mr Wragg wrote: "Whilst this represents significant progress we are being slowed down by the severity of the issues being uncovered with more than 50 per cent of the surveyed network being found to be blocked and many of the blockages being significant.

"This is undoubtedly due to the lack of maintenance work carried out in past years, sometimes exacerbated by poor design making access for cleansing difficult.

"These gulleys cannot be made operational even with extensive cleansing and will require significant civil engineering work to restore them. This work is being programmed."

Tom Gibson, a former chair of the residents association in Tang Hall, which was hit by June's floods, said: "It's quite incredible; it's beyond credulity. It just seems that somewhere along the line people have been allowed to get away with not keeping records properly and not having the knowledge there."

The council recently announced a new drain maintenance programme, to reduce the risk of surface water flooding. 53 streets will be added to the list for annual cleaning, and hundreds of others will be cleaned on an eight-year cycle.

The council has allocated £125,000 more to fast-track the work identified since June. Mr Wragg said the work would take up the drainage team's full resources this year.