'Underwater' village where even the church gets flooded begs Milton Keynes council for help

Lavendon, which has a population of just 1,472, has experienced severe flooding three times over the past 12 years.

Most recently, in September last year, severe flash floods devastated 48 homes, a local church, a local business and left multiple roads underwater and impassable.

But despite repeated requests from residents, a resident-led motion to MK City Council, and direct appeals to the Cabinet member, the Labour-run council has refused to meet with residents or take any action, say the area’s Conservative councillors Peter Geary and Keith McLean.

They are now urging the council to “just get on and do the work”.

Cllr Geary said: "It is completely unacceptable that the council continues to ignore the people of Lavendon. These residents have suffered time and again and were promised action—yet Labour refuses to listen."

To rub salt in the wound, the council recently decided to £2 million to protect two new buildings on the Milton Keynes East development.

“If they can spend £2m to protect their own buildings, why can’t they spend far less to protect the whole of this village?” asked Cllr Geary.

He said a Lavendon flood improvement scheme was funded in the council’s capital programme when Labour took over the council in

2014. But the money was later cut.

"They cut these funds to spend on their own projects elsewhere in the city. They must find the funds to protect real people’s homes and livelihoods,” he said.

The Lavendon flood prevention scheme began over a decade ago but remains incomplete – despite former Conservative MP Ben Everitt securing £150,000 of Government funding through the Frequently Flooded Allowance Scheme

Cllr McLean said: "It’s disgraceful that the council can find money for pet projects but won’t invest in protecting residents from flooding. We have asked on multiple occasions over the past few years...—yet they refuse. The people of Lavendon deserve better, in fact they deserve action not dialogue now.

"Plans for the remainder of the flood mitigation scheme are well advanced and work could start this year if approval is given soon."