Bolton Council has launched its flood resilience scheme, which will help residents affected by the floods to improve their property’s resilience or resistance to flooding in the future.

Grant of up to £5000 are available from the council for homeowners and businesses that were flooded as a result of Storm Desmond or Storm Eva.

Homeowners can use these grants to build flood defences, replace windows and doors, repoint external walls with water-resistant mortar and move electricity sockets to a safer level. These measures can either to prevent flood water from entering a property or speed the recovery process if water does get in.

Residents who think they are eligible for a grant can register their interest by emailing: floodresiliencegrant@bolton.gov.uk or phoning the housing standards team on 01204 335752. 

Bolton Council has been assisting properties across Bolton, since the devastating floods on Boxing Day.

Council workers were initially on site at flooded properties to help evacuate residents and provide emergency feeding and accommodation. They then returned to help residents clear damaged goods from their houses and clear debris and soil left by the floods, clean pathways and bins. They also carried out road repairs and cleaning gullies.

After residents had either returned to their homes or moved into temporary accommodation, officers continued to make daily visits to flood-damaged homes and offer support with provision of furniture and white goods for those in financial difficulties.

The council has also offered council tax relief to all households in the borough affected by the floods.

Councillor Cliff Morris, Leader of Bolton Council said: “We appreciate that the start of the New Year has been extremely difficult for some of our residents due to flooding caused by Storm Eva on Boxing Day.

“We know that people will need financial support to deal with the aftermath of the floods and have set aside an emergency fund to deal with any unexpected situations or to help households who may not have had insurance and will need replacement white goods or furniture. We are also providing temporary council tax relief for the rest of the financial year and will look to continue this for residents who are unable to fully use their homes by April 2016.

We hope that this resilience fund will also help households which were flooded to improve their properties resistance to flooding in the future.”