Flood-hit Redcar residents demand action at public meeting

Up to 150 people attended a public meeting with officials running the gauntlet of residents sick of facing another mopping-up operation

Public meeting on Redcar flooding at Coatham Road Social Club

Ian Cooper

People whose homes were hit by the floods of September 6 demanded action at a forthright and sometimes stormy public meeting.
Redcar Lib Dem MP Ian Swales arranged yesterday’s Coatham Road Social Club meeting in response to the floods which left many people counting the cost of water entering their homes - and some still waiting to return to them.
Up to 150 people attended, with Northumbrian Water and Redcar and Cleveland Council officials running the gauntlet of residents sick of facing another mopping-up operation. As reported, tanks installed after previous floods failed to cope with the latest deluge.

 

And with emotions running high, both organisations said urgent investigations into what happened, and what can be done to prevent similar problems in the future, were under way.

Northumbrian Water said its initial investigation will be completed by the end of October and everyone affected by the floods will be informed of the findings. But many residents were sceptical, having suffered floods - and heard promises of remedial action - before.

One of the most heartfelt pleas for action came from Hazel Lillystone of St Joseph’s Court, Redcar - one of the worst affected streets.

She said that after floods in 2009, her partner had proposed that a large pipe be installed to take water to the sea - one of many possible solutions mentioned at yesterday’s meeting.

Saying St Joseph’s Court was in a well-known flood area, she said: “Why did the council allow houses to be built there, knowing about the problems? People cannot get on with their lives - they are going to have nervous breakdowns.”

In a meeting lasting more than two hours, topics raised included the failure of flood alleviation schemes, insurance problems, the flooding of Dormanstown industrial units, difficulties reporting problems on the night and whether ancient culverts and the water level at Coatham Nature Reserve were at least partly responsible for the system’s failure to cope with the downpour.

Redcar and Cleveland Council’s director of regeneration services, Gerry Brough, said the council was about to launch its Local Plan consultation process and urged residents to make their views about the floods known during that period.

And the council’s leader, Councillor George Dunning, said the best chance of a solution was to get all parties “round the table”.

But Mr Swales wondered if the current water system could cope at all, given that floods seem to keep occurring.

He said: “The natural flow of water through this town is not being allowed to happen - the whole system seems to be cracking.”

To applause, he added: “Just how much development can the current system cope with? Every time you put new houses up, are you just causing another problem?”

Article from Gazette Live
http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/flood-hit-redcar-residents-demand-action-6068616

Flood ravaged Teesside residents welcome Government aid move

Teessiders devastated by the region’s flash floods have welcomed urgent official moves to apply for emergency Government cash aid

Teessiders hit hard by the region’s devastating floods today welcomed official moves to apply for emergency Government cash aid.

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Tom Blenkinsop and Redcar and Cleveland Council leader George Dunning are writing to Local Government Minister Eric Pickles to urgently demand the immediate release of emergency cash help for the council and local communities affected by last week’s disastrous flooding. One of the worst hit areas was St Joseph’s Court, Redcar, where residents could be out of their homes for months.

Married mum of one, Leanne Moscrop, 33, who lives in the street, said: “I welcome this move. Residents here need all the help they can get.

“We’re forming a committee to try and help take this forward. We need urgent action from all agencies to prevent this ever happening again.”
Kirkleatham Owl Centre, near Redcar, lost five birds which drowned in the floods.

Spokesman Craig Wesson said: “This is a very positive idea. We have at least a couple of thousand pounds’ damage to aviaries and fencing and sheds.”
Mr Blenkinsop said: “The council’s preparing a formal request for help under the Bellwin scheme. This covers many areas, including removal of fallen trees dangerous to the public and repairs to highways, pavements and footpaths and cost of evacuating people from homes and temporary rehousing.

“If this cash is released it could be possible to supplement it with help for individuals and families who have suffered directly via the council’s own hardship welfare fund.”
Cllr Dunning said: “Lots of people have suffered from these floods. We’ll respond to people’s requests to clean and make safe affected communities, but can’t do this on our own.”

Meanwhile, a vital Teesside women’s refuge has suffered tens of thousands of pounds damage in the destructive torrential storm which has devastated the region. But the Redcar area’s Foundation UK refuge for women and children fleeing abuse want people to know they are still fully operating despite suffering extensive damage to a quarter of their large, modern premises and its contents.