Plans to recover from the recent flooding and prepare for future events are being discussed by Calderdale Council’s Cabinet.
On 9 February 2020 Storm Ciara brought devastation across Calderdale, at least 695 homes and 572 businesses were flooded, seriously damaging major infrastructure, roads and bridges and resulting in the closure of several schools.
Having addressed the immediate impact, the Council has moved from a position of response to leading and delivering recovery alongside communities and partners.
The Calderdale Flooding Single Integrated Recovery Plan has been developed by the Council and endorsed by local, regional and national partners.
It sets out the actions that have been identified to help Calderdale recover from the flooding and minimise the harm of a similar event in the future, based on the following strategic objectives:
- Lead and coordinate recovery activity in impacted areas
- Minimise disruption to Calderdale’s infrastructure and assist a return to normality
- Support communities and ensure that their welfare needs are provided for
- Support business growth and recovery
- Ensure effective communication of the recovery plan and support future investment
- Consider key lessons learned to deliver enhanced resilience to future flooding
The Cabinet will be asked to support the Council’s continued communication with the Government to secure further funding for the delivery of the actions in the plan.
The Leader of Calderdale Council, Cllr Tim Swift, said:
“We need to ensure that the recovery effort is proportionate to the scale of the flooding, which was second only to that of Boxing Day 2015 in terms of impact, and that preparations are made for the sustained threat of future events due to climate change.
“Communities have shown amazing resilience in their response to Storm Ciara, and local and national bodies need to recognise this and support them through this distressing time to help Calderdale return to a new normality.”
The Calderdale Flooding Single Integrated Recovery Plan will be discussed at the meeting of Calderdale Council’s Cabinet on Monday 16 March 2020.
Grants are available to help residents and businesses recover and become more resilient. Details of these can be found in: Funding for flood-hit communities