A flood of despair

Getting help to the victims

IF IT wasn’t for the outbreak of Covid-19, the aftereffects of last winter’s floods in Yorkshire would, six months on, be far higher up the political agenda.

Yet the flood risk hasn’t receded. Quite the opposite. It remains and will do long after a vaccine has been found for the dreaded coronavirus.

But there’s another common denominator between both crises – namely the time that it takes to provide financial assistance to those facing personal ruin through no fault of their own.

And this is highlighted by the growing political storm in Calderdale over delays to the launch of a scheme that would enable residents to apply for grants of up to £5,000 to help make their properties more flood resilient.

Even though Covid-19 meant local authorities, like Calderdale Council, having to change their priorities, the Calder Valley has endured countless floods over the last decade.

No wonder residents – and businesses – become cynical when promises made by all politicians after various disasters take so long to be fulfilled. Unable to afford insurance, they feel cut adrift.

It is why this newspaper stands by its longstanding call for a high-profile Minister for Flooding and the Coast to be appointed to ensure that the response to future occurrences becomes far more effective. There needs to be better coordination between the key agencies.

As Welcome to Yorkshire chief executive James Mason intimated in the context of the despair being felt by owners of tourism businesses, the delivery of support packages needs to be speeded up – and not left to luck. Lives depend on it.