I’m delighted that Worthing has been chosen as the first area in West Sussex to pilot a new approach to tackling flooding, with a major new plan focusing on the Teville Stream catchment.

Flooding is something I know many residents are concerned about. Whether it’s roads becoming impassable after heavy rainfall, drainage systems struggling to cope or the devastating impact of water entering people’s homes, these are problems that can have a serious effect on people’s lives.

As the climate changes and extreme weather becomes more frequent, I’ve consistently argued that we need to become much better at preventing these problems rather than simply responding once the damage has been done.

That’s why I particularly welcome the news that West Sussex County Council is developing a new Catchment Management Plan for the Teville catchment, which stretches from north of Findon in the South Downs, through Worthing and Sompting, all the way to the coast.

Tackling the causes of flooding, not just the symptoms

What makes this approach particularly important is that it looks at the whole water catchment rather than treating individual flooding hotspots in isolation.

Water doesn’t recognise council boundaries, and a problem affecting one street can have its origins much further upstream.

By understanding how water moves through the entire catchment, we can identify opportunities to improve drainage, manage surface water more effectively and explore natural solutions that slow or store water before it reaches vulnerable communities.

Worthing has been selected as the first area for this detailed work because of the significant number of properties at risk from surface-water flooding.

The County Council’s assessments already identify urban Worthing as an area of particular concern, with surface water, pressure on sewers and tidal conditions all contributing to local drainage problems.

This gives us a real opportunity to investigate some of the recurring issues residents have been reporting for years and develop practical solutions.

Preparing Worthing for a changing climate

As Worthing Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment, and Leader of the Labour Group on West Sussex County Council, I’ve made climate adaptation one of my priorities.

Reducing carbon emissions is essential, but we also need to prepare our communities for the effects of climate change that we’re already experiencing.

That means taking flooding, extreme heat, drought and other climate risks seriously, and investing in the infrastructure and natural environment that can help protect our communities.

This new catchment-based approach is exactly the sort of large-scale climate adaptation work I’ve been calling for across West Sussex.

It’s about understanding where our communities are vulnerable, bringing organisations together and taking practical action to make our towns more resilient.

And it’s particularly encouraging that Worthing will be leading the way.

I want to hear from residents

One of the most important parts of developing this plan will be listening to the people who experience flooding and drainage problems firsthand.

Residents often know where the problems are better than anybody.

Perhaps there’s a road that regularly floods after heavy rain, a drain that repeatedly struggles to cope, or somewhere water gathers that you feel the authorities haven’t properly investigated.

If you’ve experienced flooding or recurring drainage problems in Worthing, I’d really like to hear from you.

As your County Councillor, I want to make sure that local knowledge helps shape this work, and I’ll be passing the information residents provide directly to the County Council’s flood-risk team.

Turning plans into practical improvements

Of course, producing a plan is only the beginning.

The real test will be whether it leads to investment, better drainage, fewer flooding incidents and greater protection for people’s homes and businesses.

I’ll be following this work closely and pressing for practical improvements that make a meaningful difference to residents.

I’m really pleased that Worthing has been chosen to lead this important work, and I want local people to be right at the heart of developing it.

We cannot stop the rain, but we can do much more to prepare for it, manage it and protect our communities from its consequences.

That’s what I’ll continue fighting for.