Paper No. COUNTY COUNCIL. Meeting date: 20 January Chief Executive FLOOD AND STORM DAMAGE AND LINKS TO CORPORATE STRATEGY 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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1 COUNTY COUNCIL Meeting date: 20 January 2005 Paper. From: Chief Executive 7 FLOOD AND STORM DAMAGE 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 This report updates County Council on the impact of the severe flood and storm damage which affected much of Cumbria, and Carlisle in particular, over the weekend of Friday 7 January to Sunday 9 January and following days. The enormous response from the County Council s employees and services, alongside other agencies, is reported and commended. 2.0 POLICY POSITION, BUDGETARY AND EQUALITY IMPLICATIONS AND LINKS TO CORPORATE STRATEGY 2.1 The emergency cut across many of the County Council s corporate strategy themes. The most important theme in these circumstances is Theme E (Improving the Safety of People s Lives) and its commitment that we will protect the public in times of emergency by putting into place comprehensive emergency planning arrangements. 2.2 The budgetary impact of the damage is still being assessed. In addition to the immediate emergency costs of rescue work, humanitarian aid and clearance of debris, there are longer term costs of repair and replacement. Costs will fall on either the County Council s General Reserves, the Capital Programme, external insurers or the Council s Insurance Reserve for self-insured risks. Financial assistance is also being sought from Government, through the Bellwin Scheme and other routes. 2.3 Under the Council s constitution, the Chief Executive is empowered to take any action on behalf of the Council as may lawfully be taken in any case of urgency, subject to reporting thereon to the Council. Page 1 of 5

2 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 That the update be received with thanks and appreciation for the enormous efforts of the emergency services and other Council Departments and employees. 3.2 That further updates be given to Cabinet and County Council on the progress and costs of the recovery plan. 4.0 BACKGROUND 4.1 All members will be aware of the impact of the severe weather conditions experienced in Cumbria over the weekend of Friday 7 January to Sunday 9 January 2005 and in the following days. 4.2 The combination of heavy rain and very strong winds resulted in extensive flooding and storm damage across the County, with Carlisle being hit particularly hard. Many other communities, including Appleby, Penrith and Keswick, were badly affected. Experts have referred to the worst flooding in the area since 1968 and, in some reports, since The impact was compounded by prolonged losses of power and communication failures. 4.3 The immediate response of the emergency services, including the Fire Service and Emergency Planning Unit, was to set up the emergency control arrangements on the Friday evening. These included Gold Command at Police Headquarters, Penrith and Silver Command at the Emergency Planning HQ at The Castle, Carlisle. 4.4 Throughout the weekend, the County Council was represented at both Gold and Silver Command and made a substantial contribution to the emergency response. The immediate priority was protection of life and property. The Fire Service faced an enormous task and responded magnificently, not least because the Carlisle Fire Station itself was flooded. Urgent approvals were needed for rescue work, reception centres, humanitarian aid, clearance of debris and supply of emergency generators. Information is being collated about these costs, although final details will not emerge until invoices are received and claim forms submitted. 4.5 Considerable efforts were made to ensure continuity of the County Council s services, such as the supply of residential day and home care by Cumbria Care, the clearance and maintenance of highways and footpaths by Cumbria Contract Services, and the functioning of the County s schools. Despite all these efforts, it was not possible for all the Council s services to remain open. Because of extensive power failures alongside the flooding and storm damage, around a third (105) of the County s 350 plus schools were closed on Monday 10 January. This figure fell rapidly throughout the week. Some schools, such as Newman School and St. Aidan s School in Carlisle, Wyndham School in Egremont, and Crosby-on- Eden Primary School have suffered much more than most. In this area, as well as the whole coverage of the emergency, the support of the local media, including Radio Cumbria, CFM Radio, Border Television and local newspapers has been invaluable. Page 2 of 5

3 4.6 The response to the immediate impact of the flood and storm damage and its aftermath is being coordinated via a County Action Group, supported by Recovery Groups for Media Community / welfare coordination Infrastructure Public assets / buildings Schools Business Infrastructure Finance 4.7 Close working with other public agencies has been central to the events of the last week. We have also offered urgent practical help. Carlisle City Council s Civic Centre was flooded and the two Councils are liaising very closely at member and officer level. The Rickergate Police Station at Carlisle was flooded and has been temporarily relocated in the County Council s vacant Citadel Chambers offices. The flooded Carlisle Fire Station has also relocated to The Castle. 4.8 To aid the County s recovery the Cumbria Community Foundation has launched a Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund Appeal with an initial 50k donation, primarily to support individuals and families suffering financial hardship community relief and rebuilding projects At its meeting on 11 January 2005, Cabinet agreed to contribute 50k of matched funding to the Recovery Fund Appeal. 4.9 Assessments are still being made of the immediate and likely costs arising from the flood and storm damage. The costs facing the County Council fall in two main areas: Costs falling directly on the County Council s Budget Insurable costs, either covered by external insurance or by the Council s Insurance Reserve for self-insured risks. (A wider assessment of the impact on the business community is also being undertaken) The first category includes extra costs associated with emergency responses, humanitarian aid, reception centres, road clearance and repairs and so on. These will be eligible for claims to Government under the Bellwin Scheme for emergency financial assistance. However, grant is only payable at 85% on approved spending above a threshold level of 947k. Capital spending does not usually qualify and there will probably be substantial long-term work needed on roads and bridges. So, the actual cost to the County Council would have to be well above 1m. before any Page 3 of 5

4 grant is triggered. Other avenues for Government support are being explored, and we are being assisted by Government Office rth West staff on site As for insurable risks, the initial forecast is that damage to buildings will cost around 3.5m. to repair, half to be covered from the Council s Insurance Revenue and half from external insurers / DfES Any further updates will be reported orally to Council in line with the following resolutions from Cabinet on 11 January: that the expenditure authorised to date by the Chief Executive under his emergency powers in providing an immediate response to the civil emergency affecting large areas of Cumbria over the period 7-10 January 2005 be approved; that, insofar as such expenditure is not covered by Corporate Directors normal delegated powers, the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader, and Corporate Directors in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member, be authorised to incur further essential expenditure, after consultation with the Corporate Director Finance and Central Services, in continuing to provide an immediate response to the civil emergency; that the costs incurred by the Chief Executive and Corporate Directors under the approvals above be reported to Cabinet and Council on a regular basis and to members generally through the monthly financial monitoring report. Peter Stybelski Chief Executive January 2005 APPENDICES Appendices IMPLICATIONS Staffing: Financial: Electoral Division(s): Many County Council staff were engaged in responding to this civil emergency Immediate costs of emergency response, and longer term costs of repair and recovery Extensive impact across Cumbria Page 4 of 5

5 Executive Decision Key Decision If a Key Decision, is the proposal published in the current Forward Plan? N/A Is the decision exempt from call-in on grounds of urgency? If exempt from call-in, has the agreement of the Chair of the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee been sought or obtained? N/A PREVIOUS RELEVANT COUNCIL OR EXECUTIVE DECISIONS Cabinet 11 January 2005 BACKGROUND PAPERS background papers Contact: Bob Mather (606260) Page 5 of 5