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Floods could bring about landmark claim
07/09/2007
A victim of this summer's flooding is trying to get her local community involved in a class action claim for compensation against the Environment Agency.
According to the Oxford Mail, Binsey resident Alison Cobb has visited solicitors seeking legal advice, supported by over 100 flood victims.
It would be the first time that a class action had been mounted against the agency in Britain or Northern Ireland.
At a meeting in West Oxford Community Centre, Ms Cobb confirmed her intention of taking legal action, saying: "The agency is to blame. I suggest that we do a class action and we take them to court and make them pay for everybody that was flooded. They knew what to do, and they did not do it."
She said that the Environment Agency was responsible, as despite complaints being registered, the agency failed to clear plants from a stream that acted as an overflow from Port Meadow.
Ms Cobb said that the Swift Ditch stream had worked as an overflow since 1792 but the agency's failure to maintain it had left it "absolutely choked" with plants.
She added: "It is a complete waste of time talking to the agency. For three floods they have known what to do and they have failed to do it."
Following Ms Cobb's call to arms, an Environment Agency spokesman said that it would be for individuals to decide whether to take action or not, based on advice from their solicitors.
Some residents in the area have already rejected an offer of £250 from the government as compensation.
Contact us for legal advice
According to the Oxford Mail, Binsey resident Alison Cobb has visited solicitors seeking legal advice, supported by over 100 flood victims.
It would be the first time that a class action had been mounted against the agency in Britain or Northern Ireland.
At a meeting in West Oxford Community Centre, Ms Cobb confirmed her intention of taking legal action, saying: "The agency is to blame. I suggest that we do a class action and we take them to court and make them pay for everybody that was flooded. They knew what to do, and they did not do it."
She said that the Environment Agency was responsible, as despite complaints being registered, the agency failed to clear plants from a stream that acted as an overflow from Port Meadow.
Ms Cobb said that the Swift Ditch stream had worked as an overflow since 1792 but the agency's failure to maintain it had left it "absolutely choked" with plants.
She added: "It is a complete waste of time talking to the agency. For three floods they have known what to do and they have failed to do it."
Following Ms Cobb's call to arms, an Environment Agency spokesman said that it would be for individuals to decide whether to take action or not, based on advice from their solicitors.
Some residents in the area have already rejected an offer of £250 from the government as compensation.
Contact us for legal advice
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