A MEMBER of the Flood Risk Action Group (FRAG) has spoken out in its defence after it was criticised for a lack of immediate action.

Cllr Sam Naylor, who is sitting on the group alongside fellow Northwich councillor Andrew Cooper, said there was a strong desire to get things up and running and listen to interested parties, after it held it's first meeting last week.

READ> Flood Risk Action Group under fire for 'lack of action' in town

The group was set up by Cheshire West and Chester Council earlier this year to deliver the recommendations of a report into the 2019 floods, the release of which did not come until 16 months after the incident.

With many businesses and residents in and around the town hit by further devastating flooding in January this year, Northwich Flood Protection Group (NFPG) called for some recommendations to be implemented as soon as possible by FRAG.

Cllr Naylor, who was last week named as the new town mayor, said: "For a number of weeks before the recent elections, we were obviously under purdah.

"But we've had our first meeting now and the next one is planned for May 25.

"We are going to involve the likes of NFPG in these discussions, and others who also have a strong interest.

"My main over-riding objective is to be open and transparent about where we're going in dealing with the potential crisis that still faces Northwich.

"I also want to get short term solutions in place to mitigate against any future flooding."

According to Cllr Naylor, some of those short term solutions, might just simply be a case of making sure the town is ready to deal with flood waters.

"That might just mean, depending on the weather forecast, making sure we have the biggest and best pumps that we can get our hands on," he added.

"The idea behind that is to simply make sure the town centre doesn't flood."

Bill Briggs, chairman of NFPG, said he was pleased his group was being invited to future meetings and hoped the knowledge and experience they have as a collective would lead to bringing about the required changes, something Cllr Naylor agrees with.

He added: "There's no doubt about it and I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't want anyone to be excluded.

"I don't want any accusation that Cheshire West and Chester, one of the major players in flood risk management, is trying to hide anything either.

"As far as I'm concerned, although the likes of FRAG have to be made up of elected members and officers, it doesn't mean other people such as NFPG can't be part of it and for us to listen to what they've got to say.

"NFPG is really knowledgeable and it would be silly and remiss of us not to listen to what they've got to bring to the table."