Salford Council today voted to launch a Distress Fund to help victims of the Boxing Day Flood in Lower Broughton, and to kickstart it with `up to' £1million from the city's reserves. The Fund will be used to assist residents to replace essential items like furniture, white goods and clothes lost via the flood, and it is hoped other organisations will donate too.
Grants from the Fund will be in addition to the original £500 handed to households in the days following the flood. Launching the Fund at a meeting of the full Council, Salford Mayor Ian Stewart said "We knew that £500 was not going to meet the concerns of local residents".
So far, 391 residents, 72 businesses and three local voluntary groups have claimed the initial £500, paid for by a £526,000 grant given to Salford as its share of funding handed to Greater Manchester by the Department of Communities and Local Government.
While councillors and the Mayor took it in turns to thank volunteers, local companies, official agencies, community centres, residents and individuals who had helped on the day and in the aftermath of the flood, twice the Mayor apologised to the "one or two residents" who had no contact from the emergency rescue services... "I'm sorry for that...if it happened, I regret it..."
Meanwhile Councillor Derek Antrobus, the city's flood supremo, noted that the level of the River Irwell rose one metre above the level seen during the previous worst Salford flood of 1946... "It was much greater yet the damage was so much less" he said paying tribute to the city's flood defences, while acknowledging the devastation caused to the current community.
Councillor Antrobus promised a full evidence based report on the flood, including the lack of warnings, damage to infrastructure, the role of the Manchester Ship Canal and future reliance measures. Councillor Peter Wheeler stressed the importance of it being a "thorough review" that "gets to the bottom of the matter and ensures the response is better next time."
Details of the Salford Distress Fund are now on Salford Council's website - click here
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