Sir Michael Pitt's report will no doubt be read with great interest by the hundreds of families affected by or at risk of flooding in Oxfordshire.

We will never stop flooding everywhere. But the report's 92 recommendations give some hope that the subject will at last be taken seriously at the highest levels.

Sir Michael appears to have been hugely impressed by families like the Rawcliffes at South Hinksey, who invested £30,000 insurance money to protect their home after it was flooded three times.

The DIY approach features strongly in the report.

It is right that people should take responsibility and do what they can.

But that won't apply to everyone. Many vulnerable people won't have the knowledge or resources, and will still need advice, guidance and financial help.

One vital component of the report is the call for greater leadership and closer co-operation between the various agencies.

Coordination was much better during the last flood 11 months ago, but Sir Michael pinpoints further improvements that could be made.

Another sensible idea is the creation of a definitive electronic map of all Britain's drainage ditches and streams, spelling out who owns what and who is responsible for clearing them.

That would increase water capacity no end, and make a huge difference to whether some areas flood or not.

The report also highlights two other key points - tougher building regulations and clearer flood warnings.

Sir Michael has put the focus firmly on the flooding issue, which has never had a high priority among many politicians.

We hope they will take this report seriously - a plank on which to build for the future.

The last thing we want is for it to be shelved, and for famiies to face a repetition of the devastation they have so often suffered in the past.