The Staying afloat: Financing emergencies report is based on interviews with and data from local authorities particularly affected by flooding in the summer of 2007.
The floods cost the 18 local authorities in this study almost a quarter of a billion pounds with seventy per cent of these costs have been incurred by just four local authorities. The authorities in the study expect government assistance of over £100 million, almost half of the total costs. This support has clearly helped local areas to deal with the flooding and has been welcomed.
Following government help and insurance claims, the rest of the cost has to be funded by the local authorities which will impact on the budgets and services.
The purpose of this report is not to audit each local authority's risk assessment, but to highlight learning that could benefit others and:
- compile an emerging picture of the net costs to local public bodies in areas affected by flooding
- identify the impact that paying these costs might have on, for example, council finances and services
- use the information gained to raise questions for wider debate about financing emergencies