This time last year, communities across the country were dealing with the fallout from the destructive effects of Storm Babet. Many parts of rural Suffolk were among some of the worst to be hit.
Now considered to be an unprecedented rain event with a month’s worth of rain falling in 24 hours (shortly after a very wet three days in itself) and flooding of more than 900 homes and businesses, Storm Babet was the worst on record in our county’s history. The flood water battered our roads, cars and homes – leaving a trail of destruction and challenges for many residents.
Homeowners and businesses who were most seriously affected – some even needing to vacate their homes - have had to start the long and arduous process of rebuilding their lives and livelihoods.
As county council cabinet member with responsibility for our roads and flooding services, I know very well the challenges communities are facing due to the more extreme weather we’re seeing and the damage that storms have had on our infrastructure.
Since Storm Babet, Suffolk County Council and its partners have been working to engage with communities, repair roads and clear drains, whilst also ensuring residents and business owners get access to the financial aid made available through the government.
An added challenge when dealing with a flooding event of this size is that we as the lead flood authority have a duty to carry out Section 19 flood investigations in the communities that have been most adversely affected. In any normal year, I could count on one hand how many flood investigations we carry out. This year however, there are around 50 locations in total.
Shortly after the storm, Suffolk County Council committed an extra £1 million to bolster our floods team, enabling them to carry out this increase in flood investigations. However, it quickly became clear that more money would be needed to carry out the preventative works that were made as recommendations.
These recommendations could include creating flood water retention ponds in land above villages and green spaces within communities to capture water and slow the flow into residential areas. It could also be installing flood doors and non-return valves on drains to stop water entering properties that are particularly at risk of flooding.
We are also making a concerted effort to engage with landowners with advice and guidance, especially those with responsibilities to maintain ditches and streams on their properties.
These recommendations are the reason I asked Suffolk County Council’s cabinet to agree to commit a further £1.5 million to carry out this important work – an ask that was unanimously supported.
It’s a good start, but unfortunately this is nowhere near enough. Our flooding reports have identified that a further £20 million would be needed to complete all the work that’s necessary – a figure that the county council just cannot afford. So far, Suffolk County Council has committed more than £13.75 million for work to aid recovery from Storm Babet. But it’s unreasonable to assume that councils, who are already financially stretched, should or even could carry the entire cost. That’s why the leader of the council and I have written to the flooding minister, Emma Hardy MP, and demanded the government step up and plug the funding gap.
In the meantime, I have instructed our highways and flooding teams to develop a plan to deliver the first phase of works which have been identified in the 10 investigation reports published since Babet.
One of the key areas we are focussing on is the bolstering of Suffolk Highways’ resources to deliver more planned and reactive maintenance on the county’s roads and footpaths. Extensive highway repairs and maintenance work has already been completed since Storm Babet including more than 111,000 drains cleared and significant road repairs.
Our teams have been working hard to repair the damage it caused, investigate what happened and to help reduce the flood risk in future. These measures take time, preventative flooding work is complex and costly and requires lots of agencies to work together.
Despite limited resources and budgetary challenges facing all county councils, we have managed to find extra money to tackle flooding and deliver more for our residents. But this challenge is steep and the government must act and provide extra funding to ensure Suffolk’s residents don’t face uncertainty when these extreme weather events occur.
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