Communities praised at flood recovery event

Flood hit communities in East Devon have been praised for their help at yesterday’s (Tuesday 23 May) drop-in session in Newton Poppleford.

The event was organised by Devon County Council, East Devon District Council and the Environment Agency, and they would like to thank over 100 people who attended to share their knowledge of the flash flooding earlier this month.

The information gathered on the day will be collated to support the Flood Investigation Report which will be produced and published by the County Council over the coming months. This report will aim to highlight the source and extent of flooding and what work could be done to help make communities more resilient and reduce the risk of further flooding.

Initial estimates from the County Council have revealed that the clean-up after the flood event is likely to cost around £1.1million. Engineers are working with our contractor to accelerate repairs on Four Elms Hill and to the west of Newton Poppleford which will allow the temporary traffic lights to be removed.

A second drop-in session will also be held this Friday (26 May) at Colaton Raleigh Village Hall from 2pm-5pm.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said: “Thanks to everyone who turned up to the drop-in session. This flash flood event has caused a huge amount of damage and disruption to people’s lives and we’re working closely with our partners to reduce the risk of further flooding. The information provided to officers at the event will be crucial in helping teams pull together the Flood Investigation Report and help make these communities more resilient.”

Matt Blythe, East Devon District Council’s Assistant Director for Environmental Health and Climate Change, said: “This was a positive public session on the back of such a devastating incident for residents. East Devon District Council Officers shared advice to help resolve issues including temporary housing, waste clearance, financial support, and planning considerations.”

Jon Snowden, Recovery Manager for the Environment Agency, said: “We are delighted with the response and thank everyone who came to talk to us at such a difficult time. The information provided does assist in our investigations and we appreciate the opportunity to clarify respective roles of the professional partners. We would still like to hear from you on Friday if you would like to share information or have any questions for us.”

All of the partners involved in the recovery are keen to hear from everyone impacted by the flood event who may not have been able to attend the drop-in session. As part of the ongoing investigation, they will be collating information about the problems identified and sharing the findings.

Anyone who would like to submit their information should email floodrisk@devon.gov.uk