The study by a team of scientists and local residents found that dredging the town’s beck and clearing overgrown vegetation from the banksides would ease the flow of water and a system of mini-dams to temporarily store water upstream would reduce the risk of flooding by controlling the flow.

Ryedale Flood Research Group, which included experts from Durham, Oxford and East Anglia Universities, spent a year looking at the problem and tapping local knowledge.

Its findings were unveiled at a public exhibition in the town four weeks ago.

Now, after visiting the display and reading the report, town councillors have given it their full support.

They plan to make sure the Environment Agency, the Minister of State for local Government and Communities, John Healey, and Rosie Winterton, the Minister with responsibility for Yorkshire and the Humber, together with Shadow Floods Minister Anne McIntosh, are all aware of its contents.

The council will also draw it to the attention of the local drainage boards at their meeting next month and ask Pickering Flood Defence Group to invite a councillor to its next meeting to discuss the way forward.

Cllr Julie Hepworth told the council’s meeting on Monday she was “really pleased” with the findings.

She said: “The Environment Agency has said all along that getting the sediment out of the bottom of the beck wouldn’t make a difference so I’m really pleased to see this report has come out and said it would.

“I’ve talked to people who have told me they used to dive into six feet of water at The Rookers 20 years ago. They couldn’t do it now.”

And she added: “If they get the sediment out and these mini-dams upstream, I’m all for it.”

Cllr Natalie Warriner, who represents Ryedale on the Local Government Flood Forum, said the local drainage boards had been proved right about dredging.

She said: “They’ve been saying this for years and years and years and no-one has taken an iota of notice of them. Let’s hope this report makes people start to listen.

“But we need the co-operation of our neighbours in the National Park to get these mini dams. They wouldn’t play ball last time it was suggested.”

The council agreed to support and promote the report and its findings in every way it can. It will also put a summary of the conclusions on its website.

l What do you think?

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