The meeting was attended by about 50 people, about half of whom were residents of North Hinksey and many HOEG members. It began at 6.00 pm with the chair announcing that the meeting was not to be filmed (someone was setting up a video camera near the front) because her permission for this had not been sought in advance. Several people queried this, stating that it was a public meeting and that the public were surely entitled to know what was being said. Her response was that some people present objected to being filmed. She was asked if it would be acceptable to edit these people out or record sound only. Her response was “no” and that if anyone attempted to record the meeting on camera or using their phone she would cancel the meeting. After a brief impasse, the feeling in the room was that the meeting should proceed, but in a rather bad atmosphere. The chair went on to announce the format of the meeting. There would be presentations, but questions from the floor were not permitted. The experts present from EA, Thames water etc. would be available on stands around the room afterwards to answer questions from individuals. This caused intense annoyance amongst the majority of attendees who had come with questions to ask in public.
There were two formal presentations. Simon Collins spoke of his personal experience of flooding in Osney Island, about the achievements of Oxford Flood Area Partnership, about their unsuccessful objections to extending Seacourt Park and Ride on the flood plain, and about the environmental benefits of OFAS, which he assured us were all positive.
The second presentation was from some kind of PR woman working for the council who waved at us in a very friendly way and read from a script while showing somebody else’s slides. Her presentation had something to do with flood awareness, but I honestly don’t remember because I was not listening to her and neither was anyone else. By the time she had finished people had begun to get quite annoyed and were asking each other what was the point of turning up.
After the formal presentations, most of us stayed to ask the technical experts questions, in some instances the same question several times over. I commented to Councillor Suzanna Pressel that I did not think this was the right way to hold a public meeting. She rather fatuously replied that they had always held the meetings like that, and that previous meetings had been attended by around 12 people and she saw no reason to change anything. One lady told her that she had been made redundant as a direct consequence of OFAS, and SP remarked that she did not think this was an appropriate place to make such a comment.
Many of us spoke with Richard Harding, the EA engineer responsible for the scheme. He looked extremely uncomfortable, as did most of the people associated with OFAS, except Councillor Colin Cook who smiled as he always does. Three of us collared the Chair at the end of the meeting to complain at the way she had handled it. I said that her refusal to allow questions from the floor contributed to a bad atmosphere and lack of trust. She said she had no intention of allowing shouting and a slanging match to develop. I said I did not think anyone came with the intention of shouting, but people wanted their views to be heard. I also said that when speaking in public it was a common courtesy to allow questions from the audience at the end. She disagreed and said it was her meeting and she could run it how she liked. The meeting ended at 8.00 pm.
Rod Chalk