Flooding on Croft Drive East, Caldy.

January 1st – Residents of Croft Drive East woke up to severe flooding on the road today. A section of the road has been cordoned off at the junction with Caldy Road.

In an area with one of the highest council tax rates, residents should not have to endure such issues. Wirral Council is responsible for maintaining road gullies to prevent flooding, but the ongoing problem of blocked gullies has been raised repeatedly by The Caldy Society. Despite numerous warnings to the council and local councillors, no effective action has been taken to address this issue, making this flooding an inevitable consequence.

According to Wirral Council’s policies, they are required to maintain gullies, conduct regular inspections, and respond to reports of flooding promptly. They also coordinate with contractors to ensure drainage systems are not obstructed during resurfacing works. However, The Caldy Society notes that many gullies across Caldy, including on Kings Drive, remain blocked or even buried, demonstrating a lack of adequate maintenance. These persistent problems require immediate action to prevent further disruption to residents.

Caldy, as a conservation area, naturally experiences a higher volume of leaf fall compared to a typical suburb, which exacerbates the problem. The council should have devised a more robust plan, or the subcontractor responsible for maintaining the gullies should be held accountable for failing to carry out the work adequately.

The Caldy Society intends to use photographic evidence of today’s flooding to write to Wirral Council, demanding a comprehensive plan detailing how they intend to tackle the ongoing issue of blocked gullies. Residents and the Society are seeking transparency and accountability to ensure this problem is resolved and does not reoccur.