17/10/07 - Flood Relief Grants

    FLOOD RELIEF GRANT AVAILABLE TO SWINDON RESIDENTS

A sum of £50,000 in flood relief money is to be made available to help residents suffering the most acute financial hardship following the exceptional rainfall on 20 July.

The money is part of £250,000 that Swindon Borough Council received from the Department of Communities and Local Government for flood relief. The remaining £200,000 will be used for remedial works in Swindon to reduce the risk of flooding in the future.

Residents wishing to submit claims to the council need to do so by 5 November. The grants are not intended to cover financial losses which are covered by insurance, but are designed instead to be used for a wide range of other expenses, such as replacement of essential household items and temporary accommodation.

The money will be paid to people whose homes have been badly damaged inside by floodwater, and will not cover damage to garages, outbuildings, gardens and basement cellars.

The amount of money given in each grant will be determined by individual circumstances, within the overall amount available. Evidence will need to be submitted to support all applications.

Cllr Roderick Bluh, Leader of Swindon Borough Council, said: “After considering a number of options and listening to the views of local people at the recent special scrutiny meeting we believe this is the best way of using the money we have been given.

“A priority list of potential flood alleviation schemes is currently being drawn up by engineers and will be published on the Council’s website and in the December edition of the Council’s newspaper for residents, Swindon News. Although the individual grants will be relatively small I hope they will give some comfort to those who have been most severely affected.”

Claim forms are available from the Civic offices or from Cllr Peter Mallinson at the Community Shop in Sussex Square on Friday or Saturday mornings.

 

 
Promoted by Peter Heaton-Jones on behalf of Swindon Conservatives, both of Unit 17, Dorcan Business Village, Murdock Road, Dorcan, Swindon, SN3 5HY
Produced and Hosted by TB Marketing Solutions Ltd, Unit C, Rainer Close, Stratton St. Margaret, Swindon, SN3 4YA