City looks to prevent repeat of flooding calamity

SOME Perth floodgates could be shut or sealed off to prevent a repeat of the destruction which hit the city last autumn.

Council bosses are also introducing lightweight flood barriers which can be installed more easily in an emergency.

The measures are part of an improvement plan drawn up in response to the devastating flooding at the beginning of October 2023.

Perth and Kinross Council was heavily criticised after the floodgates at the North Inch were left open.

Bell’s Sports Centre was deluged when the Tay burst its banks. So were a number of residential and business properties.

Other steps include having more staff on standby for emergencies.

Improvements to outof-hours call handling are being made.

And communities are being offered greater help to protect themselves.

The scrutiny and performance committee was told some of the new provisions have already been put into practice during the high tides a few weeks ago.

The most obvious changes could take place around the £25 million River Tay flood defences.

It comes after the council’s own review found there were too few staff available to close all of the floodgates in time.

The process should involve 12 people. Only seven were around.

Bell’s Sports Centre was hit with a £2 million repair bill after the North Inch gate was left open. Its future is now unclear.

Fraser Crofts, from the environment and infrastructure team, told councillors: “Officers are seeking solutions to this, firstly by seeking to minimise the need for additional standby resources by looking at the closing up or sealing off of certain gates with limited amenity value.

“It is hoped this, along with additional staffing capacity from our civil contingency colleagues, who already have out-of-hours standby arrangements, will significantly enhance our resilience response arrangements.”