Council supporting communities following recent flooding event
Posted on: 11 January 2024
Tewkesbury Borough Council is organising a range of support to help residents and businesses as they recover from the recent flooding that affected a number of areas across the borough.
River levels remain high but are slowly receding – and the council has established three key teams to support affected communities:
- Waste/recycling: This team is focusing on the proper disposal of household items that were contaminated as a result of the flooding, as well as returning for bins missed due to the floods.
- Community contact: This team is visiting affected residents to share advice and information on the help and funding available. The council will also hold a series of community advice surgeries across the affected areas.
- Business and economy: This team is assisting local businesses with recovering from the impact of the flooding, including supporting applications for grants and providing guidance to food businesses on how to effectively clean their premises.
Action plans tailored to each flood-affected area are in progress, with officers scheduled to continue visits to affected households to offer response and recovery advice. Areas of support include advice on insurance, dealing with flood-contaminated items, accommodation, mental health support and more.
Leader of Tewkesbury Borough Council, Cllr Richard Stanley, said: “Thank you to everyone who has helped in the response to the floods. I have seen incredible community spirit and a real coming together in many areas. I have also heard from residents in areas that were cut off about how upsetting and frustrating this has been.
“I have seen first-hand the devastating impact these floods have had on people’s homes and businesses. The stress and upset of such an event should never be underestimated. As we move into the recovery phase, we are working to make sure all affected residents can access the advice and support they need.
“Over the coming weeks, the council will be holding a series of advice and support surgeries. These will be attended by both councillors and council officers so we can hear directly from those affected, get people the support and advice they need, and look at where we can improve our processes and policies in future.”
Details of the dates, times and locations of the community advice and support surgeries will be shared soon.
