Council undertakes flood recovery measures
Following last week’s floods, Warwick District Council would like to thank everyone who came together to monitor and provide a response to a rapidly changing situation. The Council is also advising all those affected by internal flooding to report this to the local authorities using a dedicated website link.
Fortunately, in contrast to other areas of the country the river levels did not breach the flood defences. However, the effects of storm Henk on already saturated ground led to widespread surface water flooding across the district with some roads impassable and reports of 11 properties where internal flooding may have taken place.
The adverse weather conditions also impacted a number of Council facilities. These included the Royal Pump Rooms Art Gallery and Museum which had to be closed due the removal of artefacts and paintings as a precautionary measure and the outdoor football pitches in a number of public spaces including St Nicholas Park, Newbold Comyn and St Mary’s Lands which were waterlogged and therefore unavailable for hire.
Throughout the incident, officers from Warwick District Council maintained a watching brief working with Warwickshire Resilience Forum, a multi-agency partnership including emergency services, local authorities, the Environment Agency and utility providers. Once the water receded, the Forum moved into the recovery phase and partners are now working through a programme of street cleaning, removal of debris and gully jetting.
Warwick District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Communities and Leisure Councillor Jim Sinnott commented:
“I would like to pay tribute to Council staff and partner agencies including the County Council, Fire and Rescue Service and Police who worked tirelessly around the clock last week to monitor and respond to a rapidly evolving incident. Our preparations and plans for emergencies such as flooding are updated and reviewed on an ongoing basis and on this occasion, I can report that all appropriate actions were enacted. We will of course be undertaking a full-debrief with all involved.”
Members of Warwickshire Resilience Forum are in the process of contacting households, commercial premises and landowners known to have been affected by flooding to ensure they are aware of the services and assistance available to them. If your home has been affected by flooding, report this via Warwickshire County Council's Flood Risk Management online tool at https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/flooding.
Councillor Sinnott added:
“It’s important that you report any internal property flooding to the Warwickshire County Councils Flood Risk Team. Reporting flooding will help the multi-agency partners to ensure that your location can be accurately prioritised for flood support and planning for future flood risk. In addition, it will help to identify those who need to be supported at this time.”
You can report flooding in your home at https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/flooding.
