Central government funds have been made available to support City of York and North Yorkshire residents and businesses affected by Storm Desmond at the beginning of December.
The funds, which total just under £90,000, will be available for homes and business properties affected by flooding over the first weekend of the month.
The payments available include grants of up to £5,000 to implement measures to reduce the impact of future severe weather on homes, for example by installing flood barriers, replacing doors and windows with water-resistant alternatives or moving electricity sockets up to a safer level.
For businesses that had their trade disrupted by flooding there could be funding worth £2,500 to help them get back on their feet and funding specifically for farmers to help restore their land.
North Yorkshire County Council will be working with individual district and borough councils around the county to decide the most equitable way to allocate available funds. The criteria on which the grants will be awarded will be published in the first week of January, after which eligible residents will be able to apply for the support.
County Councillor Carl Les, Executive Member for Emergency Planning, said:
This support could make a significant difference to households in preparing for similar events in future. Our information indicates that while there were properties affected in North Yorkshire, we may not have had the immediate acute need seen in areas such as Cumbria and Lancashire. Therefore, we are taking a short time to ensure the correct criteria will target the funds effectively to achieve the maximum benefit.
The latest information and eligibility criteria will be available online at www.emergencynorthyorks.gov.uk in the New Year.
