Wiltshire Council shares disappointment at lack of Government support for those affected by flooding

Following Storm Bert, which caused widespread flooding to both businesses and residential properties around the county, Wiltshire Council has expressed its disappointment that there will be no extra funding from the Government to support with the recovery efforts.
Anticipating some funding being made available, the council had originally asked both residents and businesses that had experienced flooding as a result of Storm Bert to contact them.
The council then planned to get in touch with all affected residents and businesses to let them know of the Government grant funding and how they could claim this funding, should it be forthcoming. Funding had been made available from the Government in previous similar circumstances.
However, the Government has now confirmed that there will be no grant funding available to residents or businesses following the Storm Bert floods.
Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said: “It is extremely disappointing that the Government has decided not to provide financial support to our residents and businesses, who were hit hard by Storm Bert. “This is particularly frustrating as we know just how much any funding would have helped affected residents and businesses get back on their feet. “However, despite the worst flooding in Chippenham and Melksham since the 1960s, as well as the Avon bursting its banks in Bradford on Avon, we will receive nothing this time around.
We even had the Minister for Water and Flooding visit Wiltshire following Storm Bert, which illustrates how serious the situation was here. “We have previously received financial support from the Government to grant to affected businesses and residents for every major flooding incident since 2013, which makes this decision even more difficult to understand. “We will continue to do all we can to lobby the Government and to try to secure the funding that our communities need.” During Storm Bert, the council had more than 220 reports of flooding throughout the county; this includes flooding on roads and flooding to properties.

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