St Clement’s ward campaigner Graham Jones has asked for more information following an alarming report by a council officer to the East Area Parliament arising from the work carried out to deal with the broken sewer which flooded a part of South Park. He explained that ageing drains and tree roots caused that fracture, and went on to warn that similar problems were building up in other parts of the city. He was critical of Thames Water, who had handed over drains to local authorities, but the situation was far from clear as to who owned what bits of the drainage system. Privatisation and the three subsequent changes in ownership had not helped. He indicated the need for a comprehensive survey of the state of Oxford’s sewers to head off further emergencies.