Parents and children are being forced to wade through flood water to get to school amid a long-running row about who is responsible for sorting out drainage problems.

The issues at Langafel CoE Primary School in Longfield, near Dartford have been rumbling on for several years leaving parents fed up it is not getting sorted out.

But because Gorsewood Road is a private road and not adopted by Kent County Council (KCC), the school says its hands are tied as residents are said to be reluctant to contribute to repairs.

Head teacher Catherine Maynard says the school cannot afford the repairs which could cost about £80,000 and is not allowed to use school funds for land it or the diocese does not own.

She added discussions have been held with the residents who own the road, Kent Highways, Dartford MP Gareth Johnson and Dartford council leader and ward member Cllr Jeremy Kite about ways to resolve it.

Mum Nancy Perry said seeing a pregnant woman clinging to railings to avoid getting soaked on the school run on Tuesday morning made her so angry she is now calling for it to be sorted once and for all.

The brown water which builds up was extremely dirty and said the "stench is a disgrace" and often takes several days to clear.

Huge lakes appeared in the road once again this week after more heavy rainfall.

"Literally every time it rains the whole place is flooded because it's something to do with the drainage," Nancy said.

"KCC say because it's a private road there's nothing they can do about it.

"The mums are struggling and the kids are getting soaked, it's ridiculous.

"People are driving through it and not thinking – it's caused arguments with parents shouting at other parents and mums shouting to kids.

"But nobody will take responsibility for it. It's sad really.

"We have to deal with this dirty disgusting river every time it rains. The pavement is flooded with water, the cars drive through and soak the children before school.

"My son has come home plenty of times with soaking wet feet and socks.

"It's fun for him because he's a boy but it's not fun for the parents."

The mum-of-five – who has two children at the school – says she hopes parents will come together to protest about it and has called for action.

She said if the flooding issues could not be sorted then the school should create a new entrance so parents and children can avoid using the flooded lane to get on to the site.

With heavy rain over the past month, the problem has worsened and got to the point Nancy and other parents have become fed up with it.

'We have to deal with this dirty disgusting river every time it rains...'

The school says it has been trying to resolve the problem for several years and uses the road so parents driving to school can access the playground off Gorsewood Road.

Mrs Maynard said: "On numerous occasions we have been contacted by the people who own properties along the road to see if we can pay for the drainage and pothole situation as they feel the school have caused the problem.

"When it was found that the people who live along the road are responsible for its upkeep but also responsible for deciding what state the road can be in, they declined to pay for part of the repairs.

"We have contacted a number of agencies and the problem is far more complicated than it looks.

"If we did not have access to Gorsewood Road, or were unable to use it due to further deterioration, because of the number of parents who drive to collect their children, there would be a significant traffic issue at drop-off and collect times.

"I would really like this issue solved as the time and effort it takes to even explain what we have done, let alone try to find other solutions, does not at any point help the education of any of the children who attend the school."

Mrs Maynard added: "We open the back playground as a way for parents who choose to drive to drop their children to school. To date the residents of Gorsewood Road have not contested our access to the road and allowed the dropped kerbs to be put in many years ago.

"KCC highways have put the school road signs and yellow markings as a courtesy to aid safe parking. The water pools at the lowest part of the road, due to lack of drainage in the road.

"The school has adequate drainage but the properties along the road have grown over time and the road does not have drainage as an adopted road would have, resulting in mud and silt washing down to the school and blocking our soak away and filling the road full of water and mud.

"This water will freeze in the winter and often completely covers the pavement which has fallen into disrepair.

"The school have added sandbags to the path, and we open a walkers' gate when the road is flooded to allow parents to send children through the school rather than walk through the water.

"We have, along with the list below, pumped the water from the road on various occasions and organised for highways to pump it out too. We have filled the holes in Gorsewood Road, and they have been temporarily filled by others."

KCC spokesman Thom Morris said: "This is a private matter, unfortunately, and KCC does not have the legal powers to enforce the owner to enhance the drainage to prevent flooding.

"KCC would not carry out the works and recharge the owners, as KCC could be put at risk of not being reimbursed.

"However, if the developer or residents' group came to us for assistance in delivering a scheme on their behalf and they had the budget, we could then look into the possibility of designing and delivering a drainage scheme."

Cllr Kite said: "I’ve expended a huge amount of effort over a number of years to resolve this issue which seems to even pre-date my time as a local councillor.

"I have even offered to use some of my KCC discretionary member’s fund to contribute to a solution, even though it is not an adopted road.

"However, without other partner and local stakeholder funding I’m afraid my offer came to nothing.

"It’s a problem that desperately needs a solution because the impact on parents and children is significant. I am willing to bring any of the parties together to find an answer."

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