For many people in Bury, and across the North of England, Boxing Day this year will only be remembered for one thing – the devastating floods which have resulted in misery for thousands.
I particularly want to thank all those, whether working for the local authority or the emergency services, who have done all they can to ease a terrible situation. Inevitably people will look to blame the Council or the Government but on a day when every river in Lancashire rose to record levels it is difficult to conceive of any measures that would have prevented all the flood damage that has occurred.
David Nuttall 
It’s not about blame – it’s about the ability to respond. On a micro level – The next time you visit Fairfield Hospital turn left and go up towards the Church Inn, it’s signposted. At the top is the Bury boundary, turn left and for the next 1/2 mile on the LEFT there is an 19th century (yes that old) stone gulley that has not been cleared in about 30 years (yes 30). It’s in Rochdale (see) – BUT all the water that doesn’t go this way tears (literally) down the road to the houses in Bury. On a Macro level, I’ve just read we need EU permission to dig out rivers! Surely not.If not use some of my ,000 pds that I pay in tax and dig them out.
That’s right David, keep spouting what your leader tells you, regardless of the cuts to the Environmental Agencies and Flood Defences, perhaps if your great leader had bothered to act on the forecast of the flooding predictions for the North of England which were reported well before the tragedy in Cumbria, this part of the country and the other areas affected would not be in this terrible state. My previous house was flooded 3 times in 6 months. Try living with that nightmare, whilst trying to carry on with working full time and looking after your family. The answer is stop cutting vital flood defences and building on unsuitable land. 200 soldiers is an insult to the people and businesses that have been affected. But never mind, as long as the capital is flood free that is all that matters to you and your government. Oh, and an inquiry into the person(s) who gave the order to open the flood defences in York would be a start.