Government agencies have been lambasted for not resolving flood defences in a Co Down village

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) has agreed to set up a new weather resilience group to assist people affected by “severe” water damage.

The Lagan Valley Island chamber heard a plea for immediate new action to be taken to a revolve a decades old flooding problem in the village of Dromara.

Downshire East DUP councillor Uel Mackin said: “If any of us avoided Storm Betty, we are very lucky, for the folk in Dromara had a very sad experience.

“There was quite severe flooding there, up to 60cms of water inside houses and destroyed furniture, food and a lot of other things too.

“In terms of raw sewage coming up into people’s houses and shops, there is no society in this earth would stand for that, not one, so why should we in this city of Lisburn and Castlereagh and particularly the people in Dromara.

“I would like to express my thanks to all who attended promptly to the emergency situation, it was very much appreciated by the people who were affected.

“People were taken out of their houses to a place of safety, but members this is nothing new to the area.

“It happens every few years and has been happening for decades.”

The Councillor and vice chair of planning, hit out at a number of Stormont departments who had identified the “root” cause of the problem though had shown no plans to resolve the flooding matter.

Mr said: “The sad thing is, the statutory agencies show very little concern and aren’t too keen to get involved with any sort of planning to find a remedy.

“Those agencies would be the Rivers, who as recently as 2022, said ‘no, we have no plans to build flood defences’ or intend to take any steps forward.

“NI Water recently as October last year, said ‘yes, we have identified problems with sewage coming up on to the street, and into people’s houses and shops- it’s a root of a tree at the mouth of the pumping station- but no plans to do anything about it’.

“We come to NI Roads Service, and the gullies are cleared once a year, but the problem is the pipes between the gullies are never looked at. And that is where the problem lies.

"Those who are charged with responsibility don’t show any interest, I think that is a very sad indictment on our various government departments.”

Forming his proposal on the floor, the Downshire East member added: “I have spoken to colleagues in the area and I think they will all be in support of the proposal to refresh the Weather Resilience Group in Dromara and a new scheme be drawn up incorporating a wider group of organisations within the village.“Also, to form a working group including all DEA members to work with and encourage the departments to come up with a scheme to deal with this issue. I’ll not say once and for all, but could bring about a vast improvement."

The proposal received unanimous support in the chamber with Mayor Andrew Gowan calling for it to be “urgently progressed”.