Flooded resident calls for council tax reprieve

A woman whose house was flooded during the New Year downpour has called for council tax to be waived if blocked street drains were a factor in the deluge.

Beverley Johnson said she had to wade through "cold, muddy water" when she arrived home in Gatley, Stockport after a party and has since had to move out due to "inhabitable" conditions.

She said residents "feel it's the council's fault that the water could not drain away" and that repairs to houses on her street could take months to complete.

Stockport Council said the downpour was "unprecedented" and that the "effectiveness of gullies" was just one issue.

The council is also working with United Utilities on the issue.

Liberal Democrat councillor Grace Baynham, who is cabinet member for highways, said: "Council budgets have been savagely reduced by the government over the last few years, so we have to prioritise investment where it's needed most."

She called on the current government to provide "proper investment into national water infrastructure and localised support to councils that have areas at higher risk".

Ms Johnson said electricity and heating was not working at her home after the flood and she could not get into her kitchen. Her car was also flooded and needed replacing.

Her daughter had to use bin bags as waders when she came to help "move as much we could upstairs", Ms Johnson said.

"It was not liveable and I was trapped upstairs. Overnight my life had been turned over, upside down.

"It was traumatic but there are neighbours worse off than me as I've got insurance."

She described the force of the water as "like a current - really strong".

"I feel very angry, our houses should not have flooded.

"We feel it's the council's fault that the water could not drain away and therefore rose up and flooded our homes and cars."

Baynham said the New Year's Day flood saw the River Mersey reach the "highest level ever recorded", adding climate change meant once in a century weather events were "becoming commonplace".

She said the council was trying to ensure Stockport's infrastructure was "more robust".

But she said "the biggest help" from the government would be investment into national water infrastructure and localised support to councils" in high-risk areas.

Cllr Mark Roberts, Deputy Leader of Stockport Council and Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: "The amount of rain we had in such a short time was unprecedented —over a month's worth in just 12 hours.

"That kind of downpour would overwhelm any drainage system, and Stockport wasn't alone in feeling the impact.

"Weather like this pushes even the best systems to their limits, and is a much wider issue than focusing on the effectiveness of gullies. That said, we're not just sitting back. We've already cleared any blockages caused by the floods and are looking closely at what we can do to improve our drainage and flood prevention plans.

"We share the frustration of residents who've been affected and are committed to improving wherever we can. Tackling extreme weather is a big challenge, but we're working with local and regional partners to make sure Stockport is as ready as it can be for whatever extreme weather comes next."

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