Agenda item

This Council recognises the suffering and misery that recent flooding has caused to many people in Leeds and calls upon the Council to make sure it is doing all it can to help people to return their lives to normality. Furthermore we urge the council to work constructively with the Environment Agency, the Department of the Environment, Yorkshire Water and all other agencies to make sure they too are doing everything they can to help people most in need.

This council calls for an inquiry into the City’s preparedness to deal with flooding incidents like these and identify how such events can be avoided in the future, recognising the greater risk through climate change.

Furthermore this council demands urgent action to be taken to provide relief for all people affected by flooding and to examine options which would help:

• Provide information about making insurance claims.
• Provide relief to local people whose homes are uninsured, who may be burdened by rising insurance costs and for those people who may now be unable to be get their homes insured in the future.
• To look into the feasibility of providing people with relief from the council tax.
• To establish a fund to help those affected.

This council recognises the need to make sure that no people affected by flooding are taken advantage of by cowboy contractors inflating prices and preying on the vulnerable.

And finally this council congratulates the work of the emergency services, the environment agency and the employees of Leeds City Council who worked with such professionalism, dedication and bravery to help evacuate homes and deal with problems caused by the recent floods.

M LYONS

It was moved by Councillor Lyons seconded by Councillor Wakefield

That this Council recognises the suffering and misery that recent flooding has caused to many people in Leeds and calls upon the Council to make sure it is doing all it can to help people to return their lives to normality. Furthermore we urge the council to work constructively with the Environment Agency, the Department of the Environment, Yorkshire Water and all other agencies to make sure they too are doing everything they can to help people most in need.

This council calls for an inquiry into the City’s preparedness to deal with flooding incidents like these and identify how such events can be avoided in the future, recognising the greater risk through climate change.

Furthermore this council demands urgent action to be taken to provide relief for all people affected by flooding and to examine options which would help:

• Provide information about making insurance claims.
• Provide relief to local people whose homes are uninsured, who may be burdened by rising insurance costs and for those people who may now be unable to be get their homes insured in the future.
• To look into the feasibility of providing people with relief from the council tax.
• To establish a fund to help those affected.

This council recognises the need to make sure that no people affected by flooding are taken advantage of by cowboy contractors inflating prices and preying on the vulnerable

And finally this council congratulates the work of the emergency services, the environment agency and the employees of Leeds City Council who worked with such professionalism, dedication and bravery to help evacuate homes and deal with problems caused by the recent floods

An amendment was moved by Councillor A Carter seconded by Councillor W Hyde

First Line, Delete everything after: … people in Leeds and ….

Add:  … calls upon the Government to properly fund Councils to enable them to set up a well funded hardship fund.  This Council welcomes the fact that the City Council, through its own resources is to fund a pilot scheme in the worst affected residential areas aimed at protecting residential properties for longer from flood damage. 

Furthermore this Council recognises the speed with which the administration has moved to have discussions with the Environment Agency and other agencies and has agreed to set up a task force involving the City Council, the Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water and other organisations to bring forward the appropriate schemes for flood alleviation in the City Centre and in the residential areas of Leeds affected by the recent flooding.

This Council recognises the need to ensure that residents affected by flooding are given as much help and information as possible.

And finally this Council congratulates the work of the emergency services, the Environment Agency and the employees of Leeds City Council who worked with such professionalism, dedication and bravery to help evacuate homes and deal with problems caused by the recent floods.

The amendment was carried and upon being put as the substantive motion it was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY – That this Council recognises the suffering and misery that recent flooding has caused to many people in Leeds and calls upon the Government to properly fund Councils to enable them to set up a well funded hardship fund.  This Council welcomes the fact that the City Council, through its own resources is to fund a pilot scheme in the worst affected residential areas aimed at protecting residential properties for longer from flood damage. 

Furthermore this Council recognises the speed with which the administration has moved to have discussions with the Environment Agency and other agencies and has agreed to set up a task force involving the City Council, the Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water and other organisations to bring forward the appropriate schemes for flood alleviation in the City Centre and in the residential areas of Leeds affected by the recent flooding.

This Council recognises the need to ensure that residents affected by flooding are given as much help and information as possible.

And finally this Council congratulates the work of the emergency services, the Environment Agency and the employees of Leeds City Council who worked with such professionalism, dedication and bravery to help evacuate homes and deal with problems caused by the recent floods.

(Councillor Harris, having declared a personal and prejudicial interest, left the meeting during the consideration of both this item and the one referred to in minute 34 below)