THE emergency evacuation and response to severe flooding at Iford Bridge Home Park will be investigated at an upcoming Flood Advisory Group meeting.

Increased flood protection measures, remedial work and improved response times will also form the focus of the Bournemouth Council group meeting on January 20.

Cllr Roger West said ‘questions needed answering’ about how the council, site owner and emergency services reacted to the threat of flooding at Iford.

The chairman of Bournemouth Flood Advisory Group, Cllr John Adams, said the group meeting would be the ideal time to look into the matter as officers would be present to give updates. He said: “In the January meeting we will be investigating the flooding at Iford and Holdenhurst village, as well as all the other affected areas, while having up-to-date charts to review just what happened hour by hour.

“We will also receive reports from the officers in charge, to ensure that the best possible support was provided for our residents.”

At least £5,700 was spent finding emergency housing for those evacuated in the severe flooding from Christmas Day to December 29 and in the new year from January 2 to 8.

Bournemouth council housed 14 people in the first set of placements which came to £3,300 and nine people were accommodated in the second set, which cost a total of £2,400. Cllr Michael Weinhonig said his priority would be the flooding in Holdenhurst village and Strouden Park and seeking to introduce remedial works to avoid further hardship.

He said: “We want to introduce more preventative measures and engage in bringing benefits to people so they don’t suffer again.”

Cllr Weinhonig also raised the issue that residents were not signing up to the DG5 flooding register which maps affected areas.