Cornwall's response to last November's flooding to be used as national case study

Last updated: 25/05/2011 Add to My Bookmarks Subscribe

Officials from Central Government’s Cabinet Office have visited Cornwall to find out more about how agencies worked together to support the communities and individuals devastated by the floods which affected parts of Mid Cornwall last year.

The officials have now asked Cornwall Council to draw up a range of case studies to share with other local authorities and agencies to use in the future.

The officials visited Cornwall last week on a fact finding tour organised by the Council’s Community Flood Recovery Group, which co-ordinated the response to the floods.  This follows a visit by the same officials earlier this year to attend a multi agency debrief.

The officials spent two days touring Lostwithiel, St Blazey, Par, Mevagissey and Pentewan where they met local members and staff from the key agencies and organisations who dealt with the floods, including the Council, Environment Agency, police, fire and Town and Parish Councils, as well as representatives from local businesses and residents whose properties were flooded to find out how effective they felt the Council’s actions and information were.  

The group were accompanied on their tour by representatives from Cornwall Council and Rob Andrew, from the Council’s Chief Executive’s Department, is delighted with how the visit went.

“The Cabinet Office team said it had been a very valuable visit which had helped bring alive the debrief in February and highlighted the importance of the embedded role of the localism staff working closely with the Environment Agency, partners and community groups on the ground in supporting local communities to help themselves” he said.

“They were particularly interested in the contributions of the Community Network Managers and the strong role communities were able to play through the Community Recovery groups, making a real impact”.

Among those the Cabinet Office team met on their tour was Chris Hastings from the Eden Project who said that the positive relationship they had built with members of the Council’s emergency management team and with their insurers Ecclesiastical over the past few years, linked with their own robust resilience planning process, meant that they had been able to re open Eden within seven days of the floods which helped mitigate the knock-on effect to the local economy. 

The team were welcomed to Mevagissey by Mike Roberts, the Chair of Mevagissey Parish Council, who said that while it was inevitable that Mevagissey will be flooded again in the future, their aim was to mitigate the impact of future flooding incidents by continuing to work closely with public agencies and local community. 

In Pentewan the team met with local Parish Councillor Miles Avery who told them that while local people had been disappointed at the scale of the flooding as there is already a flood scheme in place in the village, the local community was committed to working with the Environment Agency, Cornwall Council and Stephen Gilbert MP to find the best way forward to solve flooding in Pentewan, from not only the stream but from the White River and the sea.  

Charles Richards, Chair of the Par and St Blazey Community Flood Group, said  “It is very good for Cornwall and the communities devastated by the November floods that the Cabinet Office visited us.  It is important we maintain interest and momentum in the recovery process and continue to plan ahead for a similar event.  I am sure high profile visits such as this will add substance to our own efforts.

“Having spoken with members of the Cabinet Office I think they were genuinely impressed with what they saw in Cornwall.  During the trip to Par and St Blazey they were particularly interested in how the community has reacted and the success of the Community Flood Group in recruiting more than 50 flood wardens. 

“They were also interested in the Community Flood Recovery Group and the way it engages with the community.  The Community Flood Recovery Group includes Cornwall Council, the Environment Agency, South West Water and local town and parish councils as well as community flood groups.  They expressed an interest in maintaining a dialogue with us and using us as a case study so other communities can learn from our experiences.”

In Lostwithiel the Cabinet Office officials met with the former Mayor Vic May, who told them “Everyone rallied together on the day of the flood and have continued to work together since.  We know that we can’t prevent flooding happening again, but by working closely with the Environment Agency, we hope to be able reduce the effects on our community”.

The group also visited Par Market World, which was badly affected by the floods, where staff told them that they were gradually getting back to normal and were now hoping for a good Summer.

Roy Taylor, the Cornwall Councillor for St Blaise and Chair of the Community Flood Recovery Group, said “I was very pleased to meet with the members of the group and show them round some of the areas which were worst affected by the floods.  We also viewed remediation works, largely funded by the Environment Agency, which are being carried out by Cornwall Council Highways staff on Prideaux Road.  This was a welcome opportunity for representatives of local people to put their views on the floods to the Cabinet Office  who will take them back to the Government in Westminster.”

Denise Mutton, the Cornwall Councillor for Mevagissey, said “I would like to thank the Cabinet Office and researchers for visiting our area.  They listened carefully to the points raised, and we hope they convey our concerns and requests to the highest level.”

The Community Flood Recovery Group has now developed into Community Recovery Groups which are continuing to support communities.

In Pentewan a working group has been set up including members of Pentewan Valley Parish Council, residents affected by the flooding, Environment Agency and Cornwall Council.

In Lostwithiel the Environment Agency and Cornwall Council are continuing to work together with the local community.  Recent projects include replacing sections of the badly damaged culvert at Tanhouse Road.

In St Blazey the Community Recovery Groups are playing a key role in providing a link between residents in St Blazey and other flooded locations and the Environment Agency and Cornwall Council.

Story posted 17 May 2011