Councillors call for inquiry into Catcliffe flood warnings by Environment Agency

Councillors Adam Carter and Firos Miro will lodge the motion, at tomorrow’s (November 29) full council meeting.

It requests ‘a commitment to hold an enquiry to determine why a suitable warning was not issued to residents earlier when it was clear that flood waters would imminently breach the flood defences in Catcliffe’ from the Environment Agency.

More than 250 homes were evacuated in Catcliffe following flooding caused by Storm Babet in October, and the river Rother in Catcliffe saw the highest river levels ever recorded.

The councillors have also requested ‘significant investment in and improvement of the flood defences of the River Rother at Catcliffe’.

The motion requests that the council agrees ‘that it has no confidence in the ability of the Environment Agency to provide an adequate response to future flooding in Catcliffe and Treeton to keep residents, homes, and businesses safe’.

The motion also criticises South Yorkshire Police for ‘actively enforcing’ the bus gate on Wood Lane, ‘when alternative main routes in Catcliffe and Brinsworth were impassable, when looting of evacuated residential properties was a high risk’.

Brinsworth only has one main route in and out – Wood Lane – and drivers had been using the bus lane to avoid floodwater.

However, Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire’s police and crime commissioner said that this was ‘untrue’, and may cause ‘unnecessary anxiety and alarm’.

Dr Billings said: “In so far as this motion concerns the police, much of what it suggests is untrue and can only cause unnecessary anxiety and alarm.

“The truth could have been ascertained quite simply by asking the district commander or myself and since no attempt was made to do that the motive of those moving the motion is a mystery.

“Specifically, I understand that during the three-week period in October and early November, South Yorkshire Police issued just one enforcement in relation to use of the bus gate on Wood Lane.

“One motorist was stopped whilst going through the no entry to Wood Lane and, when stopped, admitted to other offences, including offences relating to drugs. He was issued with enforcement and dealt with separately for the other offences.

“South Yorkshire Police did assist local authority and fire colleagues managing some of the road closures and advising members of the public not to use Wood Lane, as it was being used to evacuate local residents from flooded areas. None of those stopped were given enforcement notices, they were just asked to use different routes.

“There has been no reporting of looting and the police are always aware of that possibility at a time like this.

“This motion, based on inaccuracies and untruths, is likely to have the effect of undermining people’s trust in the police and that is unforgivable. When people are faced with distressing situations like flooding they need to know that they can trust the police to help them – which they can.”

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “We know the devastating impact flooding can have and our thoughts are with all of those affected during Storm Babet.

“Babet brought a month’s worth of rain in less than 36 hours, with Sheffield recording its wettest day in 139 years and the River Rother at Catcliffe recording the highest ever river levels.

“Flood walls at Catcliffe were inspected after the storm and found to have operated as designed. We continue to work with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to verify the timings around the onset of flooding and the source of the floodwater and we are carefully considering what actions can be taken to support those in Catcliffe, working alongside local MPs and the council.”