A COUNCIL has taken action after extreme rainfall resulted in flash flooding across the borough.

Eastleigh Borough Council has organised a task group consisting of Hampshire County Council, the Environment Agency and Southern Water to ensure that there is a multi-agency response to flooding.

This comes after torrential downpours earlier this month saw homes and businesses submerged in areas of Fair Oak, Allington Lane, Botley and parts of Hedge End.

Now the authority says it has worked with the local Hampshire Highways engineer to ensure that the culverts are kept clear, arranged for roads to be swept and cleared and organised for sandbags to be made available.

Council officers are also due to visiti affected areas and speak with residents to gather as much information as possible to be able to assist Hampshire County Council’s flood and water management team.

Cabinet Lead for Environment Cllr Rupert Kyrle said: “We know how distressing incidents like this can be for our residents and businesses and whilst much of the measures needed to help prevent or mitigate further flooding falls under the services outside of the council’s control, the council has an important community role in ensuring that agencies are working together and that actions happen.

“Residents should be assured that if they have an emergency flooding issue affecting their property, they can call our out of hours service and we will be able to arrange the response from the correct agencies and organisations.”

Residents are now being asked to contact the county council if they experience flooding due to a drainage issue, the environment agency if the flooding is down to a water course like a stream or river, or Southern Water if the cause is a burst or leaking water main.