Sir Gavin Williamson has been successful in clearing a culvert in Stone, previously blocked by built-up debris and plastic waste.
Sir Gavin was initially informed by Councillor Phillip Leason that the Scotch Brook was blocked in February, and has been working alongside the relevant authorities since then to clear away the rubbish. Following his appeals to have the culvert thoroughly cleared, Sir Gavin decided to take action himself, clearing away three bags of debris from the site. His perseverance on the matter has recently seen success, as the Canal and River Trust has stepped in to remove the waste that had blocked the culvert.
The Scotch Brook culvert connects to the river Trent and regularly fills up with silt, already prone to overflowing in the case of torrential rain. The blocked culvert caused concern as the waste poses an environmental hazard, as well as a danger for children who might enter the culvert to retrieve items. In 1987, the Scotch Brook caused real problems for residents in Stone when it became clogged with rubbish and collapsed, flooding Stone town centre and leaving many cars and houses underwater.
Sir Gavin said: “I’m really pleased to see that pushing the authorities to deal with the Scotch Brook has been successful. The site previously resembled a dumping ground and was a hazard to the environment and the surrounding community. I’m grateful to the Canal and River Trust for stepping up and answering my calls for the culvert to be cleared.”
