County council bosses defend claims Sutton gullies had not been cleaned for seven years

Gullies on Chatsworth Street, Lime Street, Oak Tree Road, Short Street and St Michael’s Street were cleaned last month as part of a schedule of works which takes place every two years.

However, Coun Samantha Deakin has lived on Chatsworth Street in the town for seven years and said it was the first time she can recall that the county council had ever undertaken this job.

She said previously: “Obviously, all five roads have a high concentration of terraced properties and I honestly can’t remember the last time any of these gullies were cleaned.

“What I do remember though is continual flooding on all these roads and many others like it in the area.

“The county council claims that it cleans them every two years – I don’t recognise this.”

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However, Gary Wood, county council head of highways and transport, refuted these claims and confirmed the dates the previous cleans took place in 2019.

He said: “The gullies on a number of roads in Ashfield were cleansed last month, as part of our routine gully maintenance programme.

“These roads are cleansed every two years, with the previous cleans taking place between September and November 2019.

“As we have historically had problems accessing gullies on these roads, we wrote to residents to make them aware of the works and to ask for their cooperation in keeping gullies clear from parked vehicles.

“We have a targeted approach to gully cleansing across Nottinghamshire, with all 158,000 gullies being cleansed at least once every two years, and those most prone to blockages being visited on a more regular basis.

“We would also like to take this opportunity to ask residents not to dispose of items including cooking oils, paints and building materials which can prevent gullies being effectively cleansed, or mean the silt removed cannot be recycled.

“If you have a problem relating to drainage you can report it online at nottinghamshire.gov.uk/transport/roads/report-a-flooding-or-drainage-problem, on the MyNotts App, or by calling the council customer service centre on 0300 500 8080.”

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