£600,000 for flood victims (From Witney Gazette)

£600,000 for flood victims

4:09pm Tuesday 21st August 2007 in Witney By David Horne

THE lion's share of Government money for Oxfordshire's flooding is to go to the people whose homes were washed out.

West Oxfordshire is to receive £600,000 of an £865,000 emergency aid pot allocated to the county.

The district had by far the highest number of homes affected - estimated at 1,600, or four per cent of the district's households.

On Friday, the leader of the district council, Barry Norton, gave an assurance the money would not go on council services, but to people directly hit by the July floods - said to be the worst in living memory.

Mr Norton told the Gazette: "We want to go some way to ease their hardship.

"In terms of homes affected, the amount of devastation was similar to Tewkesbury and Gloucester."

The council's cabinet meets today to decide exactly how to allocate the money, but Mr Norton added it could be in a similar way to those whose homes were devastated by flooding in the north of England earlier in July.

He said: "We could decide to give flat grants, or replace white goods. The Government is leaving it to us to decide how to use the money, and we want to help those who were hit."

Many householders in the district had to be put up in emergency accommodation, while others went to stay with relatives or friends.

While some homes had just a few inches lapping into their downstairs rooms, others had up to six or seven feet rushing in.

The council's response was warmly greeted by some of those worst hit in Bridge Street, Witney, where the River Windrush washed out homes and businesses.

Heather Pike, whose family is still living in temporary accommodation, said: "It is really good news.

"Just what we want to hear.

"While defensive action is needed to help us against it happening again, all of us will be glad of some help now."

Neighbours Peter and Morag Crowther had not only their home flooded, but their piano and cello showroom business too.

Mr Crowther said: "Our properties are just about drying out.

"One family has had to rip all the plaster off the walls.

"It will probably take to the end of the year to get things back, so any help we can get is good."

The £600,000 will be spent purely on domestic properties.

The Crowthers, like other businesses, are being advised to get help from a separate flood fund set up by the Regional Development Agency.

The flooding in West Oxfordshire spread throughout the district along the rivers Windrush, Evenlode, and Thames, and hit villages including Standlake, Northmoor, Clanfield, Charlbury, and the Wychwoods.