Star date: 3rd August 2016 

REPORT INTO SALFORD FLOOD DELAYED UNTIL `AUTUMN'

The official Greater Manchester Section 19 investigation report, which will include the Boxing Day flood that hit Lower Broughton, has been delayed again.

The report was due out at the end of July but the Environment Agency now states that "flooding on the scale experienced takes a long time to investigate" and that it will be published "in the autumn".

Full details here...

Almost eight months after the Boxing Day flood that hit Lower Broughton, there's still no sign of the official report investigating the torrent that ruined many people's homes and lives.

Originally the Environment Agency told a March meeting of the East Salford Community Committee that a `draft was expected by end March 2016 and the final document will be complete in June 2016'. Then, in May, it was put back until the end of July (see previous Salford Star article – click here). Now it is being promised for `the autumn' – which could be up to ten months after the event.

"The Greater Manchester Section 19 investigation report is a factual record of the flooding that happened during the Boxing Day event and how the relevant risk management authorities responded" Natalie Fortune, Recovery Engagement Advisor for the Environment Agency told the Salford Star "This document is an important step to help us manage flood risk methods and inform future schemes, helping us to continue to work together efficiently in Greater Manchester.
 
"It was expected that the report would have been completed by the end of July, however, flooding on the scale experienced takes a long time to investigate, and the authorities have focused much of their activity on supporting those most affected by the flooding" she added "The decision to delay publication also provided the opportunity to include more detailed information on the impacts and response in each district. The report will be published in the autumn."

In the meantime, residents in Lower Broughton are still having work done on their houses, with Salix Homes claiming £5,000 per property from the Government to make them more resilient to future flooding...

* For Salford Star's six page report into Salford's Super Flood see the electronic version of issue 11 of the print magazine – click here

Update: 4th August –

Broughton Councillor Jim King says he is "very disappointed" at the flood report delay...

“The EA [Environment Agency] promised the report in late March, June, then July" he explains "They now say it will be 'Autumn' with no indication of the date in Autumn. Many of my constituents will be very concerned about this.

“Autumn will be too late to apply any 'learnings' the report may suggest” he adds “The EA needs to get moving on this and fast...”