Grants available for flood-hit residents

The government launched its repair and renewal grants last week, which are designed to fund the installation of flood defences such as self-closing airbricks, non-return valves on waste pipes or waterproofing or re-pointing external walls.
However, those affected will have to fund the defences up-front, with the grant payments to be made retrospectively and if government criteria is met.
The grants cannot be used to cover the costs of repairing flood damage already incurred or insurance excess payments, and only those who were flooded between December 1, 2013, and March 13, 2014, will be considered.
Homes must have had flood damage to ‘habitable internal areas of the premises’, while damage to business properties must have impacted on a company’s day to day operations.
The scheme is being administered locally by West Berkshire Council, who will assess applicants based on government criteria, and payments will be made by central Governm ent.
Great Shefford resident Glenn Parsons, whose home was flooded in February, said it was unfair of the government to make the grants retrospect ive.
“People have had enough heartache without having to stump up initially to then wait to claim it back, hoping that it will be claimed back,” he said. “We are not on low incomes but we are not flushed with cash and we are going to have to find the money to put the defences in.”
Meanwhile, the Berkshire Community Foundation’s (BCF) Flood Recovery Fund – launched at the height of the flood crisis in February – has received £150,000 in donations and is now offering grants to severely affected areas.
The fund is complementary to existing government and council sources of funding and is being run in partnership with parish councils offering grants of between £500 and £3,000.
BCF Chief executive, Andrew Middleton, said: “We were absolutely delighted by the generosity of the individual, community and corporate donations to the fund.
“We have all heard of the plight of people who are still out of their own homes, of those who lost irreplaceable family treasures and those who, for whatever reasons, just simply don’t have insurance cover. These are the people we want to help and are inviting their applications.”
For more information or to apply for the repair and renew grant or Berkshire Community Foundation grant, visit www.westberks.gov.uk/floods or www.berkshirecommunityfoundation.org.uk respectively.