Flood-hit Scots to share £4m of £50m fund

THE Scottish Government will be given almost £4 million to help households and businesses affected by last weekend’s flooding, it has been announced.

The Duck Bay Hotel at Loch Lomond was marooned yesterday. Picture: Aye in The Sky

It is part of a £50m UK-wide fund announced by Chancellor George Osborne for those affected by the recent weather.

Communities in the Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, Tayside and Moray were among those hardest hit by Storm Desmond.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell confirmed Scotland would receive £3.94m, under the terms of the Barnett Formula.

About 600 people were evacuated from their homes in Hawick as the River Teviot burst its banks on Saturday, with Peebles, Selkirk, Coldstream, Jedburgh and Kelso also hit.

The Met Office said that about 100mm of rain fell in the area throughout Friday and Saturday.

In Dumfries, businesses were flooded when the River Nith flowed on to the Whitesands. The effects of the storm were also felt in Newcastleton, Langholm, Annandale and Eskdale, along with Bridge of Allan and Aberfoyle.

Hawick provost Stuart ­Marshall said that the clean-up operation in the Borders 
town is likely to take several months.

He welcomed the new funding, which he said should go towards helping local families and businesses and improving temporary flood defences.

Hawick has been earmarked for a major flood prevention scheme – but estimates suggest the £30m project will not be in place for up to six years.

Mr Marshall said: “There has been extensive damage and many people have not yet been able to return to their homes.

“To make matters worse, many of the householders have been unable to insure their homes after a major flood in 2005.”

He added that the town has 9,000 sandbags at the ready if the deluge returns.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Ministers have triggered the Bellwin Scheme, which offers emergency financial assistance to councils, and it is up to individual councils to make a claim.

“Hundreds of homes across Scotland have already benefited from stronger flooding ­protection through the annual provision the Scottish Government has made available of £42m for investment for flooding in the local authority finance settlement.”