MADAM, After the terrible floods in Ross last Friday we wanted to write to say how pleased we were to see the whole community pull together and how sad that it was that it had to.

We are extremely disappointed with the slow response residents of Smallbrook Gardens and Woodedge in Tudorville received from Herefordshire Housing, and just how unnecessarily hard it was for us as councillors to push them into action. We have had assurances from the leader of the council and the cabinet member that this will be investigated this week, also looking into such issues as why it took so long for certain action to be taken. We will also be looking into the issue of blocked drains and gullies with Amey and finding out why these were not attended to if that turns out to be the case.

Nevertheless, we cannot thank the fire service enough. Their work was outstanding in carrying the residents and evacuating the site with complete professionalism and compassion. Mr and Mrs Clarke, residents of Smallbrook Road, sprang into action along with other neighbours and worked tirelessly to help residents switch off electric supplies and helping in any way they could. We must also thank everyone who responded to an appeal for help on facebook. There were so many helpers from the community and it was great to see Emma Bishop and her friends working hard for their community in both locations.

Thanks also go out to volunteers from New Life Church and Ross Baptist Church who worked all day serving food and drinks (lots of sherry!) to the residents of Smallbrook Gardens along with WRVS.

Not forgetting Alex of Saint John's Ambulance, the stirling efforts of Cllr Colin Gray, the staff of Amey and the staff of Herefordshire Housing who arrived on site, BBC Hereford and Worcester and BBC national news who helped us draw attention to the problem and push people into action, Cllr John Jarvis, the Ross Gazette and Simon Cropper.

I am sure that we have missed some people out and can only apologise it was such a hectic, non stop day, the residents are grateful as are we.

There are residents in both locations whose lives have been turned upside down by these events and we will do anything that we can to help them, find out what went wrong and find out whose responsibility it is to see that this does not happen again if it can be avoided.

Cllrs Andrew Atkinson and

Phil Cutter.