Match the funding and we’ll double the flood rescue work, say leaders
On the half-year anniversary of the worst flash flooding in the Dales in living memory, roads have been rebuilt but some of the wounds may never heal. David Behrens reports.
SIX MONTHS after flash floods swept through parts of the Upper Dales, wrecking buildings and skittling dry stone walls like dominoes, communities are still struggling to cope with the financial and emotional impact, the Government was warned last night.
More than 300 homes, 30 businesses and 50 farms were flooded when a freak summer storm at the end of July washed away roads and bridges in remote parts of Swaledale, Wensleydale and Arkengarthdale.
As more than a month’s rain fell in the space of a few hours, Grinton Moor Bridge, between Reeth and Leyburn, collapsed, leaving the road impassable.
On the half-year anniversary of the devastation, a charity said that while the infrastructure was being repaired and the tourist attractions of the Dales opened again for business, many human scars remained.
In an appeal to the Government to match-fund money raised locally for the relief effort – a pledge already made by ministers for areas of South Yorkshire hit by November’s heavy rain – the Two Ridings Community Foundation said the picture remained acute for many victims.
“Many of those affected were on low wages, low fixed-pension incomes, tenant hill farmers or small businesses and therefore have little financial resilience,” it says in an appeal to ministers, seen by The Yorkshire Post.
It adds: “As an area that relies on farming and tourism with much of the employment typified by low wages, and many people having to work several part-time jobs to make ends meet, this lack of financial resilience is likely to have long-term impacts.”
The foundation said that despite having raised more than £250,000 to support financial hardship, there was “still significant unmet need”.
The letter, sent this week, has received significant support from councillors and other officials.
Angie Dale, leader of Richmondshire District Council, who co-signed it, said: “Half a million would make a heck of a difference compared to the £250,000 we’ve got. It would double the work that could be done.”
Richmond’s MP, Rishi Sunak, who helped secure £5m of Government funding in the immediate aftermath, to rebuild roads and bridges, repair walls and restore farms to productive use, said he had raised with ministers the question of parity with South Yorkshire’s flood victims.
The November floods there, when the River Don burst its banks, affected a more densely populated area and the Army had to be called in.
Mr Sunak said: “In finding a threshold level at which to intervene, I have argued that the intensity of the flooding should count as well as its volume, breadth and scale, which are the traditional measurements.”
The MP praised the “enormous
Richmond MP Rishi Sunak, who helped to secure £5m of Government funding.
resilience and spirit” of the victims and other members of the community, whose work, he said, was “humbling and inspiring”.
The Government has said it will respond “in due course” to North Yorkshire’s request for match funding.
A spokesman at the Housing, Communities and Local Government Department, said: “Since the flooding in the Yorkshire Dales last summer, the Government has provided funding and support to help the recovery of affected people, communities and businesses, including farms.
“We continue to review requests for assistance and are working closely with councils to support the recovery of our communities.”
Resilience and spirit of the victims was humbling and inspiring.