Half a million pounds for communities in new emergency response fund

Posted by on 20 May 2024 | Comments

A new fund has been established to provide immediate, short-term financial support to East Suffolk communities affected by future emergency events.

In February, as part of the 2024-25 Budget setting process, East Suffolk Council created a Resilience Reserve in response to the severe disruption caused by Storm Babet last October. Now, Cabinet members have agreed how this £500,000 pot will be managed, through a newly established Resilience and Emergency Response Fund (RERF).

The RERF is designed to ensure East Suffolk Council can be more flexible and responsive to cover reasonable additional costs incurred by town and parish councils during an emergency event.

In the aftermath of Storm Babet, East Suffolk Council established the East Suffolk Flood Recovery Group, that provided a physical presence in Framlingham and Wickham Market to assist and deal with affected residents enquiries and clean up in the aftermath.

Although longer-term grants were available under central Government's flood recovery framework, a gap was identified to support the immediate and urgent needs of residents and communities; for example, provision of skips through East Suffolk Services to remove damaged household items and costs (food, bedding, clothing) for displaced people using the emergency centre set up in Framlingham's Community Hall.

East Suffolk Council's Cabinet member for Resources and Value for Money, Cllr Vince Langdon-Morris said:

"The severe disruption and flooding caused by Storm Babet last October has had a significant and ongoing impact on the lives and livelihoods of many East Suffolk residents. In our district alone, 320 properties were directly impacted by the storm.

"Winter storms are predicted to increase in frequency and severity as we come to terms with the effects and impacts of ongoing climate change.

"As much as we cannot sit back and allow climate change to irreversibly worsen, we must try and support communities affected by its ongoing impacts, including flooding from rising sea levels, prolonged rainfall and intense storms.

"This fund can bring significant relief for our residents at a time of need and empower our district council to act quickly. But, importantly, the RERF is a short-term resource and is in no way a replacement for central government support."

Examples of support that could be provided by the fund include temporary accommodation costs for up to 48 hours, disposal costs for damaged furniture, carpets or flooring, and support for voluntary groups to assist and co-ordinate recovery activities.

In addition to the RERF, a dedicated council officer will be appointed, to build upon our existing emergency response capacity, providing a communication, co-ordinating and enabling role for our town and parish councils, communities and residents before, during and after future emergency events.

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