Wealden District Council’s ruling cabinet is failing residents who are struggling without running water, say Conservative councillors who believe the council should be doing more to help in the current crisis.
Despite calls for intervention by the council, the Lib-Dem/Green coalition running Wealden have refused to activate emergency procedures. The request has even been denied by Lib-Dem council Leader, James Partridge, who lives in Rotherfield, one of the worst affected areas.
“It is shocking that Wealden’s ruling Cabinet is not holding South-East Water to account as the crisis escalates”, says Conservative leader, Cllr Ann Newton.
“With more schools being forced to close, no published timetable as to when supplies will return, and the water company unable to issues assurances to our MP, it is surely time for emergency action.”
South-East water has blamed the hot weather for contributing to the disaster although admit that they’ve suffered infrastructure failures with burst pipes and leaks, and yet remains adamant that it will not declare a critical incident.
“Being what’s known as a Category One responder, Wealden District Council could declare a major incident which would then bring in other agencies automatically, not least the county council and Sussex Resilience Forum”, adds Cllr Newton. “The systems are in place for catastrophes such as this. The wheels need to be put in motion, now.”
