Despite £65 million being assigned for repairs and construction following the Boxing Day floods in Calderdale, an independent commission has found this amount will not be enough.
The final findings of the
Calderdale Flood Commission report have been released, reviewing the causes, impact and response to the Boxing Day floods that severely damaged many properties in the region.
As covered by the
Halifax Courier, the report has recommended the current funding ‘must be seen only as a first step’. It goes on to suggest the true overall costs of the disaster are not yet known, and sustained investment will be necessary for a number of years. The capacity and capability of staff in organisations and communities also needs development.
Another recommendation made by the report is that the problem of flooding needs to be tackled from a national level, including the introduction of flood risk insurance for small, medium and large businesses.
“The current increased level of funding is welcomed but must be seen as only a first step,” the report reads. “We don’t know yet what the true overall costs will be, but require commitment from funders to meet the needs as they emerge. This investment is likely to be necessary for a number of years.”
£65 million total in funding for repairs and improved defences has been received, according to Calderdale Council’s local flood risk management strategy
Independent Chair of the Flood Commission, and Chief Executive of the National Flood Forum, Paul Cobbing, said flooding risk must be tackled from a long-term perspective.
“As part of this we must lead by example, and we can do this not just by ensuring that flood risk management measures will better protect our communities now and in the future, but also by reducing our own impact on the environment and reducing our own carbon emissions,” Cobbing said.
“Reducing flood risk in the Calder Valley does not begin or end with this report, but we hope and believe that the recommendations of the Flood Commission will contribute significantly to improving the lives of communities throughout the Calder Valley.”
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