The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Eric Pickles)
Last winter saw some of the most severe weather on record, and thousands of homes and businesses were flooded.
Extension of flood recovery schemes to all of 2013-14
The Government responded to these events by making relief available for those flooded, both from council tax and business rates, as well as by helping householders make their homes more resilient to future flooding. However, the Government are today recognising the hardship caused in other parts of England by flooding earlier in 2013-14 by announcing an extension of the following Government flood recovery support schemes: the Department for Communities and Local Government council tax and business rates relief schemes, the severe weather recovery fund (Communities Element); the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs repair and renew grant; and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' business support scheme.
This will make a real difference for those who suffered the appalling effects of flooding throughout the entirety of the 2013-14 financial year. My officials will be writing on behalf of the Government to all local authorities in England advising them of how to apply along with the terms and conditions of the various schemes.
Bellwin consultation
Last winter, to help local authorities deal with the immediate costs of the severe weather, the Government activated the Bellwin scheme of emergency financial assistance to local authorities, and in recognition of the unique scale of the flooding, made the terms of the scheme more generous. This included lowering the threshold above which the Government will compensate, and reimbursing 100% of local authorities’ costs above those lower thresholds.
We are today announcing a consultation on making those changes to the Bellwin Scheme permanent.
Preparedness
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will be making a full statement on winter preparedness. However, my Department has already done a great deal of work on this. We continue to engage with local government to consider how councils can build on and improve their emergency support outside normal business hours, including clearly publicising their emergency contact numbers; being a more visible part of the local response; and giving clear advice to residents and businesses on how to plan for emergencies. On 30 October DCLG published, jointly with the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives, the “local authorities preparedness for civil emergencies: a good practice guide” to help local authorities ensure they are well-prepared to respond to a civil emergency in their local area. Ministerial colleagues will be meeting with leaders from a number of local authorities over the coming weeks to discuss preparedness to respond to winter weather and flooding in particular.
Recovery progress report
It is also right that I update the House on the recovery progress from last winter’s severe weather events.
The Government are today publishing a flood recovery progress report updating on Government support and local authority activity over the past 11 months, a copy of which will be placed in the Library of the House. My Department has talked to local responders, including volunteers, businesses and communities to understand how the local flood response and recovery process was delivered in local areas; exploring with them lessons that we can all learn about the effects of last winter’s severe weather; and working with them to reduce the risk of damaging floods in future.
Finally, once again I would like to thank all those from local authorities, the emergency services, the armed forces, community and voluntary groups, the staff of the Environment Agency and transport workers who worked so hard throughout last winter, often in appalling conditions, to support and help people during the severe weather.