£1.4m given to flood-hit homes and businesses in Leeds

Residents and businesses affected by the Boxing Day floods in Leeds have received around £1.4m of support, Leeds City Council has said.
Kirkstall Road was among the worst affected areasKirkstall Road was among the worst affected areas
Kirkstall Road was among the worst affected areas

A report prepared for senior councillors shows that nearly 3,400 homes, businesses, churches and sports clubs were either flooded or suffered from the knock-on effects of Storm Eva on December 26.

In the wake of the floods, the Government pledged a £50m funding package to help those affected across Yorkshire.

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West Yorkshire Combined Authority committed a further £5m fund for victims in the five local authority areas in West Yorkshire.

The council’s executive committee will next week hear that so far more than £1m has been given to businesses, with a further £400,000 allocated to helping residents.

But council leader Judith Blake reiterated calls for action to prevent future disasters.

She said: “We are now two months on from the events of Boxing Day and the aftermath but those directly affected continue to need as much support as we can give them so it is pleasing to see the funding is getting where it is needed.

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“We have a duty to those people and everyone in the city to make sure we get comprehensive flood defences in place as quickly as possible, so we will continue to make the strongest possible case we can to the government for the level of investment in Leeds to make that happen.”

The report says work is being carried out to stabilise Linton bridge, which was badly damaged in the floods, but repairs could cost £4.3m and take an estimated 12 months to carry out. The council is working on temporary access arrangements.

Coun Blake added: “Linton Bridge is a major worry as it could be closed for a considerable period of time and cost millions to repair, so we would please ask for patience while we carry out the necessary assessment work and evaluate what we can do to minimise the impact of it being closed.”

The report to the executive committee says the Government has pledged to carry out a feasibility study into the next phase of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme, with the potential to call for enhanced protection further upstream than in a previous report.

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The council is also working with the Environment Agency to identify measures to reduce flood risk at Mickletown/Methley from the River Aire and at Otley from the River Wharfe.

The council is also looking at how the hundreds of volunteers who helped with the recovery could be recognised.

Information about the council’s financial support available can be seen at www.leeds.gov.uk.

Businesses are also able to apply for additional funding through the West Yorkshire Combined Authority scheme via www.the-lep.com/floodsupport.