The Hackbridge, St Helier and The Wrythe Local Committee met on 17 July 2025 to discuss the findings of a flood investigation, local funding updates, and to hear community showcases from the 219 (Sutton & Cheam) Squadron, Royal Air Force Air Cadets and Radio St Helier. The committee was also scheduled to address public questions.

Here's a breakdown of the topics that were scheduled to be discussed:

River Wandle Flood Investigation

The committee was scheduled to review the findings of an investigation into the flooding of the River Wandle on 23 September 2024. According to the Flood Investigation Findings, nine properties reported internal flooding, with roadway flooding at Goat Road. The flooding was first noticed at 3am BST.

The report noted that a Flood Guidance Statement was issued by the Flood Forecasting Centre at 10:30 AM on 22nd September 2024, indicating a low risk of flooding from rivers. A flood alert threshold was crossed, but no alert was issued because it was after 9pm. A flood warning was also not issued because property flooding was not expected.

The report also stated that recent modifications to the Goat Bridge Weir, aimed at improving aquatic habitat and flood resilience, are unlikely to have worsened flooding.

The works, completed before the flood event, involved lowering the weir height to enhance fish passage and also provided additional flood storage capacity.

The report noted that the flooded properties are within the floodplain, and recent modelling by the Environment Agency (EA) confirms that the properties impacted by this event are at high risk of flooding.

The report outlined the responsibilities of both Sutton Council and the Environment Agency in managing flood risk. These include:

• Investigating flooding incidents
• Developing and maintaining local flood risk management strategies
• Maintaining an asset register of structures that affect flood risk
• Preparing preliminary flood risk assessments
• Providing technical advice on surface water drainage for major development applications
• Regulating ordinary watercourses¹
• Managing the risk of flooding from surface water, ordinary watercourses, and groundwater
• Taking a strategic overview of the management of all sources of flooding
• Managing the risk of flooding from main rivers through surveying, maintenance, and improvement works

The report concluded that the River Wandle is a flashy river² due to its catchment size, clay geology, and heavy urbanisation, making it susceptible to intense rainfall. It suggested that the risk of flooding can be counteracted by increasing the amount of permeable surfaces and sustainable drainage.

Local Funding Update

The committee was scheduled to discuss local funding grants for 2025/26. The following organisations/events were listed to receive funding:

• Radio St Helier - Live from the Care Home: £350.00
• Carshalton Little League: £1,100.00
• St Helier Charitable Foundation: £1,100.00
• The Friends of Sutton Park - Landscape Artist of the Year: £190.00
• Jigsaw4u - Helping Hands: £750.00
• Horizon Church Sutton - Summer Fun Day: £600.00
• Sutton Community Champions - Riverside Community Day: £850.00
• Sutton Men In Sheds: £610.00
• Friends of Poulter Park & Revesby Wood - Go Wild in the park: £950.00

Community Showcase

The committee was scheduled to hear community showcases from:

• 219 (Sutton & Cheam) Squadron, Royal Air Force Air Cadets
• Radio St Helier, who were expected to provide an update about their 24-hour entertainment service for patients at St Helier Hospital and Queen Mary's Hospital for Children, as well as their work within the community.

Public Questions

The agenda included an opportunity for members of the public to raise questions about local issues.