The Parish Council has noted there to be quite a lot of interest in Ditches and responsibilities on Social Media. It is hoped that you will find the following of use in understanding this topic.
Q.
What is a ditch?
A.
A ditch is defined as a man-made feature which has been created in order to drain an area of land. Historically these were normally dug by a landowner at the edge of their field and the spoil deposited on their land, on which hedges grew over time
Q.
What are watercourses?
A.
Watercourses are natural features which drain the surrounding catchment and normally have some water flowing in it, typically rivers, streams etc.
Q.
Who is responsible for the maintenance of watercourses and ditches?
A.
It is generally the responsibility of the owners of the land on either bank. This means that they have both rights and responsibilities associated with the ditches, or other watercourses, flowing through or adjacent to their property.
The Environment & Highways Sub-Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met on 8th March and discussed practice goal, playground equipment, heather, ditches & eco-survey on the Heath, pond care, tree survey, handymen and the snow patrol.
Landowners and householders asked to tidy up near roads ahead of winter
As the weather turns colder, Essex County Council is asking landowners and householders with a garden or land bordering the road to clear ditches and cut back overhanging trees and hedges.
Cllr Ian Grundy, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, said:
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Ditches are the responsibility of landowners, even if they are next to the road. Blocked ditches cause flooding which in winter can turn into highly dangerous ice on the road so please do clear them now to avoid putting driver and pedestrians in unnecessary danger.
During Storm Aileen earlier this month, highways crews were contacted about 21 separate incidents where trees blocked roads in Essex.
Cllr Grundy added:
Landowners also have responsibility for any trees near the road. These should be regularly checked and cut to prevent large branches or the whole tree blowing down and blocking the road. People walking along the pavement or verge shouldn’t have to avoid overgrown trees or hedges.
I’m sure everyone will want to act responsibly and take care of their own boundaries, to keep all of us safer this winter.
Enforcement & Guidance
The Council has the power to issue enforcement notices to landowners with blocked ditches which flood the highway or with branches and vegetation found to be obstructing the highway, compelling the owner to carry out any necessary work.
Pavements should be entirely free of plant growth up to a height of 8ft (2.5m).
The road should be clear:
to a height of 17ft (5.1m), and
1.8ft (0.5m) from the edge of the road towards your land.
The Council recommends the use of fully qualified and insured contractors to undertake any necessary work.
You can report highway flooding problems directly to Essex County Council via its website or by calling 0345 6037 631. Visit www.essex.gov.uk/highways to report highway flooding online.
To find out more about flooding prevention in Essex please visit www.essex.gov.uk/flooding or watch their short video below:
The Environment & Highways Sub-Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met on 10th May and discussed a range of issues including benches, ditches, tree survey, handymen, flooding & allotments.
