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46
The preliminary investigation instigated by the General Purposes
Committee of the L.C.C., in conjunction with its Rivers and
Drainage Committee, revealed that at an initial cost of about
£70,000 the incidence of flooding could be reduced by the removal
of silt and the trimming-up of banks where necessary, but that the
removal of certain obstructions and the carrying out of some improvements
would increase the cost to approximately £600.000. At
present it was impossible to estimate the cost of full-scale improvement
but the available data suggested a figure in the region of £3
million, with an annual maintenance expenditure of about £12.000.
After the London County Council's preliminary investigation
a conference was held at the Ministry in July, with representatives
present from the following public authorities within the river's
catchment area:—
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
Ministry of Housing and Local Government.
County Councils—London, Kent and Surrey.
Metropolitan Boroughs—Camberwell. Deptford, Greenwich
and Lewisham.
County Boroughs—Croydon.
Municipal Boroughs—Beckenham and Bromley.
Urban Districts—Chislehurst and Sidcup. Caterham and
Warlingham, Orpington and Penge.
Rural Districts—Godstone.
Kent River Board.
In the course of the meeting each authority was called upon to
give information as to the extent and frequency of the flooding in
its area and after some discussion it was decided that, in general,
existing legal powers were insufficient to deal with the problems
involved which varied in character from the very serious to the
insignificant.
Finally it was agreed that the London County Council and the
Kent County Council should confer with the local authorities in
their areas and that the two Counties should report to the Ministry
on the progress of discussions by the end of the year.
Following consultation with the officers of the Kent County
Council, the London County Council advised the Minister of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food that "it was the Council's opinion
that the River Ravensbourne should be dealt with as a water course
under the jurisdiction of the Land Drainage Authority and that
legislation should be sought to confer such functions on the Council
in respect of that part of the river which is within the County boundary.
In this event it is understood that the Council would become
eligible, under the Agricultural Act, 1937, for grant towards the
cost of an approved drainage scheme designed to prevent flooding