Flood victims to receive grants of up to £5,000
Government Ministers will today announce help for the victims of last year's floods, righting "an injustice."
Environment Secretary, Liz Truss, and the Communities & Local Government Secretary, Eric Pickles, will lay before Parliament an order providing for financial support for all those flooded across England from April 2013 to the end of that year.
The financial package provides repair and renew grants of up to £5,000 to all homeowners flooded in this period, allowing victims to invest in individual flood protection measures for their homes.
The full details of the schemes will be released shortly. The schemes will be administered by local councils, who will be responsible for advising flood victims and ensuring the schemes are checked by qualified surveyors to ensure they make a difference.
Repair and renew grants were a measure provided by the Government to victims of the floods at the beginning of 2014, including in Somerset.
There was concern locally that the same payments should be afforded to the communities of Southwell, Lowdham, Thurgarton, Girton and others.
During the June by-election campaign the Prime Minister exclusively hinted to the Advertiser that help could be on the way.
Now many of 400 households in Nottinghamshire could benefit from the new measure, including over 150 in Southwell alone.
Depending on how many households chose to take up the offer, the scheme provides over £2M of Government funding to Nottinghamshire communities.
The decision follows a long campaign by Newark and Southwell MPs Robert Jenrick and Mark Spencer. It started when both raised the apparent injustice that Nottinghamshire residents just recovering from severe flooding would not receive the same support as those flooded in the south of England at the start of this year.
Both MPs took up the issue - meeting residents, writing to, meeting and lobbying Ministers throughout the year in a concerted campaign that has now yielded results.
Both local MPs (Robert Jenrick then a Parliamentary candidate), wrote to Eric Pickles and lobbied Ministers in January and February – and have continued to do so since through every channel.
Mark Spencer brought Eric Pickles to meet flood victims in Hucknall and Farnsfield in March.
Robert Jenrick brought the then Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson to meet flood victims in Southwell, Thurgarton and Lowdham in four separate visits in May.
The Chancellor, George Osborne met the Southwell Flood Forum and flood victims, the publicans of the Bramley Apple in Southwell in June at the invitation of then newly-elected Mr Jenrick and Mr Spencer.
Mr Jenrick raised the issue in a question to the Prime Minister at Prime Minister’s Questions two weeks after he was elected and received the support of the Prime Minister.
Mr Spencer raised the issue in Parliamentary Questions to Mr Pickles in September.
Both men jointly requested a meeting with the new Environment Secretary, Liz Truss, and the Environment Agency two weeks ago and pressed the case yet again.
Mr Jenrick said: “It was an obvious injustice that those flooded in Nottinghamshire in 2013 did not receive the same treatment as those areas badly flooded at the beginning of this year.
"That injustice has now been righted thanks to a concerted campaign at all levels of Government.
"Mark and I were absolutely determined to win this battle and are delighted for residents that we have been successful.
"It is a major investment in our flood defences and will be incremental to flood defence schemes being developed by a number of towns and villages.
"Affected residents will now be able to apply for up to £5,000 to invest in their individual flood defences.
"I want to thank residents and campaigners throughout Nottinghamshire for their support and the Prime Minister for his personal intervention."
Mr Spencer said: "I'm delighted this long campaign has eventually borne fruit. There are a number of residents who live in fear every time it rains, this money will hopefully give them the opportunity to protect their homes and mitigate any future freak weather events
"I will be pressing our local councils to roll out a scheme so residents can apply as quickly as possible."
Mr Osborne said: “Robert and Mark made a strong case to me and the Prime Minister.
"I met residents myself and could see the damage done to homes and businesses and the need to provide security to them for the future.
"I’m delighted the Government has been able to support Robert and Mark’s campaign and provide this funding to households in Nottinghamshire and across the country.”
The schemes will benefit communities including: Newark, Hucknall, Calverton, Farnsfield, Lowdham, Thurgarton, Southwell, Gunthorpe, Girton, Hoveringham, Caythorpe, Gonalston, Rolleston, Fiskerton and many others – any household flooded between April and the end of 2013.
Any constituent in need of advice on how the schemes operate can contact the offices of either MP.
Separately a number of local communities, including Southwell, Lowdham and Thurgarton are in the process of developing flood protection scheme proposals with local partners including Nottinghamshire County Council, Newark and Sherwood District Council, the Internal Drainage Board and town and parish councils.
Today’s announcement is incremental to those proposals. Mr Jenrick and Mr Spencer are lobbying separately for Government support for these schemes through the Environment Agency and any investment will be announced separately if and when it is successful.
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