A COUNCIL hit by the cost of dealing with the flash flooding which devastated parts of the Yorkshire Dales in the summer is to receive some reimbursement by the Government.

The announcement that Richmondshire District Council is to have its claim of more than £180,000 met in full was welcomed by Richmond MP Rishi Sunak.

However, it does not meet the full cost of the aftermath of the floods,

The Government’s Bellwin emergency financial assistance scheme was activated in August following the MP’s intervention on behalf of the council.

The MP argued that although the affected area of Swaledale, Arkengarthdale and Wensleydale was small geographically, the impact on residents, businesses and farmers was so great that the Bellwin scheme should be set up for the emergency.

The council had claimed £180,762 for the uninsurable costs it had incurred in dealing with the aftermath of the flooding at the end of July. These costs included contractors to clear Arkle and Grinton becks, remove contaminated silt, skip hire, sand bags, cleaning equipment and for food and water for the emergency hub set up in Reeth.

Luke Hall, Minister for Local Government, confirmed the council’s claim was being met in full.

Mr Sunak said: “I am very pleased that the Ministry has looked on the council’s claim so positively and sympathetically. There was a fundamental difference between July’s emergency in the Dales and the circumstances where the Bellwin scheme has been activated in the past – such as the county-wide flooding in Cumbria in 2015.

“My job was to ensure that my colleagues in Government didn’t see this as a small, very localised emergency."

Councillor Angie Dale, leader of RDC said: “We are delighted that our claim to the Bellwin scheme has been met in full – and are grateful of the help Mr Snak gave in achieving this. Our past experience of the scheme has not been good but central government has clearly recognised the devastation caused by the July floods.

"This claim does not however cover the full cost of the floods – Richmondshire District Council is footing in excess of £100,000 to cover the council tax and business rate refunds."