SIR: Your report “Prepare for more flooding” (Chronicle, September 9) seemed to show a rather complacent attitude on the part of Hampshire County Council.

Cllr Humby is quoted as saying that the highways drainage system in Winchester had been functioning properly last year but was overloaded due to the volume of rainfall in a short space of time. But how could it have been functioning properly when the investigation also found some drains were blocked?

It is possible that the flooding would not have happened on the scale it did had all the drains been regularly cleared. However, what we do know is that we need to prepare for more extreme weather events like this in the years ahead.

Steve Brine MP, in his recent “Green Winchester” survey, includes flooding as an issue and praises the county council for its strong leadership and good track record in accessing Government funds to help improve the environment. I trust therefore the council leadership will now seriously investigate every avenue to reduce the risk of future flooding in this vulnerable part of the city.

Had the council’s offices or property been flooded in this way I am sure remedial action would have already begun!

Andrew Beadle,

Milesdown Place,

St Giles Hill,

Winchester