Issue - meetings

(i)             to note that officers could consider the suggestion from Members that there could be some contact made with insurance companies to expand the reach of the scheme;

(ii)            to note that as of 12 August 2024, the uptake of the grant since 1 March 2023 was as follows:

(iii)          to approve that the existing Property Level Protection Grant Scheme be changed to allow an increase in the percentage to be claimed back for the installation of Flood Protection schemes to property, from 50% to 75% with effect from the date of the Committee decision;

(iv)          to note that costs would be covered from the remaining amount of the original £500,000 budget, recorded in the General Fund Capital Programme and standing at £451,000;

(v)           to authorise the Chief Officer – Operations Services to make grants of (a) 75% of the cost of installing Property Level Protection up to a maximum of £7500 per commercial property over 200m2 ground floor area; (b) 75% of the cost of installing Property Level Protection up to a maximum of £3750 per commercial property less than 200m2 ground floor area; and (c) 75% of the cost of installing Property Level Protection up to a maximum of £3750 per domestic property to eligible property owners on receipt of proof of expenditure; and

(vi)          to instruct the Chief Officer – Operations to monitor take up of the grant and to report back to the Committee in the form of a service update in Spring 2026 ahead of the Council Budget meeting.

With reference to article 4 of the minute of its meeting of 7 March 2023, the Committee had before it a report by the Executive Director City Regeneration and Environment which presented the uptake of the Property Level Protection Scheme and sought approval to expand the current grant support in relation to increasing the percentage of costs and maximum amounts to be claimed.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)      note that as of 12 August 2024, the uptake of the grant since 1 March 2023 was as follows:

(b)      approve that the existing Property Level Protection Grant Scheme be changed to allow an increase in the percentage to be claimed back for the installation of Flood Protection schemes to property, from 50% to 75% with effect from the date of the Committee decision;

(c)      note that costs would be covered from the remaining amount of the original £500,000 budget, recorded in the General Fund Capital Programme and standing at £451,000;

(d)      authorise the Chief Officer – Operations to make grants of (a) 75% of the cost of installing Property Level Protection up to a maximum of £7500 per commercial property over 200m2 ground floor area; (b) 75% of the cost of installing Property Level Protection up to a maximum of £3750 per commercial property less than 200m2 ground floor area; and (c) 75% of the cost of installing Property Level Protection up to a maximum of £3750 per domestic property to eligible property owners on receipt of proof of expenditure; and

(e)      instruct the Chief Officer – Operations to monitor take up of the grant and to report back to the Committee in the form of a service update in Spring 2026 ahead of the Council Budget meeting.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note that officers would consider the suggestion from Members that there could be some contact made with insurance companies to expand the reach of the scheme; and

(ii)       to approve the recommendations.