Published on 1st June 2011

Council wins grant for 24 properties

Twenty four homes in the Whaddon area will benefit from flood protection measures, as Cheltenham Borough Council is awarded £102,200 to fund the work. Homeowners who have experienced repeated internal flooding will receive the help so that their properties are protected from future flooding events.

The funding is being provided in the form of government grants by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).  Local authorities were invited to submit applications for the support and DEFRA, together with the Environment Agency made the final decisions about which applications were successful.  Cheltenham was the only local authority in the county to receive an award on this occasion.

Examples of the work that may be carried out within individual properties include such things as:  flood resistant gates; water resistant external doors; sealing of floors; raised electrical sockets/television points; raising of white goods and flood resilient kitchens with freestanding removable units; airbrick covers; and pump systems to extract flood water.  Money may also go towards garden landscaping to divert floodwaters away from buildings and improvements to the drainage of properties.

Geoff Beer, principal engineer said:  ''We are delighted to have received this funding particularly in light of the national demand for the limited available grant aid.  The money will mean that the eligible homeowners can protect their properties against the devastation that flooding causes.   We know that homes in this area have been badly affected by severe weather in the past.''

Councillor John Rawson, cabinet member for built environment added: "This is good news for people in one of the most flood-prone parts of the town, and it is a credit to the council's officers that they have been able to persuade the Government to give us this money.  Flooding brings so much misery and heartache as well as physical damage, and I hope these works will give the householders the protection and peace of mind they deserve."

Homeowners in flood risk areas in Whaddon were contacted by the council and asked if they were interested in participating in the scheme. They were asked to provide evidence that previous flooding events had occurred through for example, letters from insurance companies, associated invoices for repair work and date-stamped photographs or newspaper articles.

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