Homes to benefit from flood fund water defence boost

Last updated at 12:51, Saturday, 17 July 2010
 

HOMES in a flood ravaged community are to get water defences.

South Ulverston Flood Action Group has secured £11,940 from the Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund.

The money is being used to survey all of the houses that were flooded in South Ulverston, and to help put into action the recommendations for resistance and resilience to any future flooding.

Then government funding of £76,500, secured by South Lakeland District Council for South Ulverston, is to be split between homes for measures including flood gates, special air brick covers to stop water flowing into homes, and non-return valves to stop sewerage backing up into homes.

The recovery fund has also issued 71 grants totalling over £40,000 to individual households in Ulverston. Some households have had more than one grant.

The spokeswoman for South Ulverston Flood Action Group, said: “We have had a lot of funding to have all the houses affected by the flooding surveyed and that’s nearly done.

“The next stage, once we’ve had the report back, is to install flood resistance measures. So from our point of view this is a very good thing. SUFLAG is working with agencies, in particular United Utilities, the Environment Agency and the Highways Agency, to look at ways we can ensure that flooding doesn’t happen again in Ulverston.

“We will be administering the funds from the Cumbria Community Foundation to install flood resistance measures.”

Deb Muscat, grants development officer with the Cumbria Community Foundation, which set up the flood recovery fund, said counselling providers Ulverston Mind and Relate Lancashire and Cumbria had been allocated £4,000 and £5,500 respectively.

She said: “Relate and Mind have both been providing support to people and families who are now finding it difficult to cope.

“This could be because there are problems with insurance, builders, or the day-to-day problems of living with relatives or away from home.”

Heather Shepherd, National Flood Forum community group co-ordinator, helped SUFLAG get up and running.

She said: “I have to say, the group is incredibly successful and they really are a terrific group. They’ve come together, supporting each other and they’ve had two multi-agency meetings.

“They have a rolling action plan and are getting together with all the agencies that can make a difference.

“The best way any community can address their problems is without a doubt by setting up a flood action group. It makes the biggest difference.”

Ulverston is also to share a £500,000 Big Lottery Fund donation.

Cumbria CVS said the money will be allocated according to need and individual shares had yet to be calculated.

Jean Wilkinson, of North Lonsdale Road, was flooded in November.

She was fully insured for the damage and was unaware of the fund money. Mrs Wilkinson was finally able to return home in May after six months living nextdoor with her sister. She said: “You still worry every time it rains heavy that the drains are going to block up again.”

First published at 10:31, Saturday, 17 July 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk

Linked article 28/9/10 - Learning the lessons - Julie Swinburne - South Ulverston FLAG (NFF mag)