Council tax relief for flooded homes as today's rain adds to the districts woes

This afternoon (Friday), Thames Valley Police was alerted to rising ground water in Stanford Dingley and Bucklebury and that fire crews and the army were en route.
The Environment Agency has this afternoon issued a flood warning for the River Pang for Frilsham, Standford Dingley and Bradfield.
The agency says that river levels on the Pang are rising slowly in response to recent rainfall and elevated groundwater levels and that some isolated property flooding is possible, especially in the Stanford Dingley area.
An unnamed road between Manor Farm Road and Bucklebury Road has been closed as has Tylers Lane east of Fannys Lane to Burntbush Lane.
Shaw Road has also been closed this afternoon from the Robin Hood roundabout and from the A4 to Kiln Road. Diversions are in place via Oxford Road and Love Lane.
Last night West Berkshire Council announced it had set aside extra money to provide council tax relief for flood hit residents forced to evacuate their homes.
Council Tax relief for empty properties is currently limited to 28 days, but the council has asked its head of finance to extend that time due to the severe weather battering the district.
At a meeting of West Berkshire Council’s Executive last night (Thurs), leader Gordon Lundie thanked emergency services and praised the resilience of affected residents.
He said: “I want to pay tribute and express our support for the communities that have suffered since last week and also thank the West Berkshire staff, volunteers and other supporters such as the Armed Forces and Police and Fire services for their superb cooperation.
“We have seen tremendous resilience from Eastbury, Great Shefford, Shaw, Purley, Compton and Pangbourne along with several other affected communities and we want to do everything that is possible to support them whilst this emergency continues.”
Mr Lundie added that the council would be allocating a maximum of £420,000 to allow emergency measures to happen.
The army has also been out in Great Shefford, Lambourn, Compton and Newbury today reassuring residents and delivering sandbags.
The Downs School and Compton Primary School were closed today ahead of the heavy and persistent rain forecast.
West Berkshire Council has closed the Kennet and Avon Canal tow path in several places and is reminding people to obey any closed road signs.
The council says that the number of homes affected by flooding remains at around 80, with properties in Burghfield, Compton, Eastbury, Great Shefford, Purley and Shaw affected and that people should not risk contact with flood water.
The centre director for public health England in the Thames Valley, Diana Grice said: "In this country, the risk from really serious infections linked to floods is quite low.
"That said, floodwater in homes can still contain plenty of harmful bugs which can cause diarrhoea, fever and tummy pain if you’re not careful – so follow good hygiene and wash your hands frequently with soap."
Today’s yellow weather warning for rain is now in place from noon today (Friday) until 8pm tomorrow (Saturday) with 10mm-20mm of rain expected to fall across the warning zone.
The Met Office is warning that showers following into Saturday may give localised accumulations of five to 10 mm in an hour in some areas.
The yellow warning for wind has been reissued with gusts of up to 70mph, between 3pm today and noon tomorrow, predicted across the warning zone.
However, there are currently no severe weather warnings in place for Sunday, Monday or Tuesday.