Local MP Maria Miller has visited Buckskin again, to see the current situation and get an update on the homes that are still at risk of flooding.
Following her visit earlier in the week, Maria contacted Thames Water, to ask whether there was more that could be done to support the Borough Council and its partners in their efforts to deal with the flooding in Buckskin and give assistance to local residents. Thames Water said that they would look again at the cause of the flooding in order to see whether they were able to help. Since then, the situation in Basingstoke has been discussed at Government level, and Thames Water have now been in touch with the Borough Council again.
Maria has also written to the Environment Agency to see whether there is any more that they could be doing.
Maria said: “The Environment Agency and Thames Water are under enormous pressure in dealing with the extensive severe flooding across large areas of the south, but I wanted to support the Borough Council in their requests for assistance, to see whether there is more that these bodies could do to help. I am glad that Thames Water are in touch with the Council, and I hope that they will be able to help.”
Maria has also highlighted the extra support that the Government is giving to help to relieve communities and individuals affected by flooding.
She said: “Our absolute priority is to support familes and communities get through this difficult time, and the Government has announced new measures to help individual home owners and local authorities, which in turn will help those affected get the support they need.”
The Government has changed the rules of the Bellwin compensation scheme which means that councils can claim back from central government 100% of the emergency expenditure costs they incur over and above the amount they would normally have set aside for emergencies. This is an increase from the previous 85%. The Government has also set up a £7 million fund to help local authorities with the costs of repairing roads and buildings after the flooding has subsided.