Flood preparedness: one year after Storm Babet

Almost a year has passed since Storm Babet devastated parts of Amber Valley. We understand the impact is still deeply felt by many residents.

Recovery efforts

Amber Valley Borough Council (AVBC), alongside partners like Derbyshire County Council and government departments/agencies, have been working to support you in recovery. This includes support such as.

• Waste removal
• Financial assistance programs
• Temporary housing
• Mental health support

Getting prepared

We appreciate the concerns you may have about potential flooding during the wetter winter months. Here's a summary of work undertaken by all partners since October 2023:

• Property Flood Resilience Grant Scheme: approximately 600 applications have been received across the county for this grant which is designed to support flood resilience works to individual properties. Information on flood resilience can be found at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/environment/flooding/personal-resiliance/personal-flood-resilience.
• Flooding Investigation Report: A report on flood sources and contributing factors, in all flood affected areas across Derbyshire will be published by Derbyshire County Council. We have contributed local knowledge and experiences of the flooding in Amber Valley to better inform the report’s findings.
• Multi-Agency Flood and Drainage: Regular meetings of the Flooding Subgroup are held with partners to address drainage-related flooding issues.
• Riparian Ownership Advice: You may be responsible for a water course through land in your ownership. Derbyshire County Council offers advice on this subject at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/environment/flooding/responsibilities/riparian/riparian-ownership-rights-and-responsibilities.
• Culvert Maintenance: As a landowner, we have a programme of culvert cleaning and maintenance including an annual inspection of all AVBC owned or maintained watercourses.
• Flood Warden Training: If you are interested in being a volunteer flood warden there are training opportunities provided by the County Council. If you are interested in Flood Warden training, please contact the flood team at flood.team@derbyshire.gov.uk.
• Improved Flood Information: The Derbyshire Prepared website is being enhanced for flood preparedness, visit www.derbyshireprepared.org.uk/protect-yourself/how-prepare-flood.
• Sandbag Collection Points: We have been considering how best to distribute sandbags during flooding. We are looking into the option of delivering sandbags to locations as well as individual premises as this may be more effective in some locations. If you require some empty sandbags to fill in preparation for the winter, please contact 01773 841335.

How you can be prepared

It's important for everyone to take individual steps to be prepared. Here are some resources and tips to help you.

• Derbyshire Prepared
  www.derbyshireprepared.org.uk

• Government Flood Advice
  www.gov.uk/prepare-for-flooding

• Prepare for Emergencies
  prepare.campaign.gov.uk

• Derbyshire County Council
  www.derbyshire.gov.uk/environment/flooding/flooding

Key actions you can take

• Register for Flood Warnings
  www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings

• Check River Gauges
  check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/river-and-sea-levels

• Prepare a Flood Plan
  nationalfloodforum.org.uk/about-flooding/preparing/checklist-action-plan

• Protect Your Property
  nationalfloodforum.org.uk/about-flooding/reducing-your-risk/protecting-your-property

Staying informed

We will continue to provide updates on the flooding pages of our website. 

Together, with your cooperation and our continued efforts, we can face the potential challenges of winter with greater resilience.

Contact the team directly on 01773 570222 or email enquiry@ambervalley.gov.uk