UPDATE: Senior Minister visits flood-hit areas of Bradford district

MP James Wharton, the minister responsible for the Northern Powerhouse initiative, visited the neighbourhood of Stockbridge in Keighley today to view the latest clean-up efforts.

Mr Wharton said local MPs Philip Davies and Kris Hopkins had invited him to visit the area to see the extent of the damage for himself, and to speak to residents who had been affected by the deluge.

"This is an area that has had to deal with extraordinary weather and levels of flooding, and I want to ensure it can get back on its feet," he said.

Cllr Doreen Lee, right, makes her point to Northern Powerhouse Minister James Wharton 

"The immediate priority has to be response, and we did ensure the Army could come here to help people.

"In terms of recovery, we have to look at what funding can be made available. We've announced £500 per property's worth of funding for local authorities.

"We also have the Bellwin scheme, which allows local authorities to recoup their costs in cases of emergency. A significant support package has been put in place."

Commenting on the danger of planned future housing developments being sited on land at risk of flooding, he said: "The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that houses should only be built in places which are sustainable and places which are not susceptible to flooding.

"We need to ensure our planning system properly takes the risks of flooding into account."

Mr Wharton was accompanied by Keighley MP Kris Hopkins, who said: "My sympathies go out to residents right across my constituency who've lost valuables and seen their properties damaged. This has had a huge impact.

"I'm never shy of having a go at the Council when they do things poorly, but this time people have worked exceptionally hard to support residents.

"I've spoken to the Secretary of State for the Environment and she assured me that Keighley and Ilkley were going to get part of the deal that was initially just meant for Cumbria.

James Wharton, left, and Keighley MP Kris Hopkins, right, hear residents' concerns about the flooding

"This is worth up to £5,000 per home that's been damaged."

Also present during Mr Wharton's visit were Bradford Council leader David Green, Keighley East ward councillors Doreen Lee and Malcolm Slater, and Bradford Council deputy leader Val Slater.

Cllr Lee said the worst hit parts of Stockbridge had been the unadopted streets closest to the River Aire, which are in desperate need of new drains.

"The money for this was promised in 2000, but it never appeared," she said. "It's not a Council job, it's a Government job.

"The people down here have been fantastic. They've helped themselves and I can't praise them enough."

She had harsh words for Mr Hopkins, saying he should have been at the scene "from day one".

Mr Hopkins responded that his office had been dealing with other constituency matters on Christmas Day, shortly before the floods, but emphasised that he and his staff had reacted as soon as the scale of the problem became apparent.

"Lots of residents have approached us and we've made sure Council services have been on site," he said. "We've been personally involved with trying to remedy the situation.

"Councillor Lee is very passionate about the area she represents, and I respect that."

Mr Wharton also visited Bingley Flood Support Group, set up in the aftermath of the floods to help stricken local residents.

Co-ordinator Michelle Chapman said the group would retain its base in Bingley Scout Hut until Sunday when the core of its volunteers would have to return to their jobs.

"We are still seeing some really damaged properties, and some people are still waiting for insurance details before they can clear up," she said.

"It's just been all hands on deck, and things don't really seem to be calming down yet.

James Wharton meets Bingley Flood Support Group co-ordinator Michelle Chapman 

"We have had more than 200 people here in the hut at some points.

"People's homes have been turned upside down, but we're still here for all the residents, and we're even throwing them a little New Year's Eve party tomorrow with donations of food and drink from local businesses.

"The support from the community and the way it has rallied round has been fantastic."

Although Storm Frank brought further rain and winds to the district today, the area escaped major damage, with the brunt of the storm affecting other areas of the country.

All flood warnings and alerts on rivers flowing through the district have been removed tonight as the focus shifted firmly to the ongoing clean-up of affected areas.

Bradford Council teams were again out clearing up flood-damaged debris, with somewhere between 300 and 350 properties said to have been damaged.

A Council spokesman said: "Approximately 80 calls were received by the Council’s contact centre, mainly requesting sandbags or reporting flooding.

"A further 12 calls were received by the Council Tax/Business Rates department from households and businesses which were affected by flooding.

“The Council operates on reduced staffing levels in some areas over the Christmas and New Year period, but a good number of staff came in from holiday to provide emergency support as part of the flooding rescue and recovery operation.

"They added to the fantastic efforts of local self help groups and volunteers.

"We will be calculating the cost of this as the recovery operation progresses, but for now our focus is on doing all we can to provide support for those residents and businesses affected by the terrible flooding.

"Our Neighbourhood Services teams are out and about working to collect flood-damaged house contents as quickly as we can.

"Please help them out by taking other materials, such as rubble, tyres and electrical goods, to one of our household waste recycling centres.

"They are open every day except New Year's Day, but our Keighley recycling centre at Royd Ings Avenue will be open on New Year's Day from 8am to 4pm, and on Saturday, January 2, the opening hours at that centre have been extended until 4pm.

"The requirement for permits has been suspended."

The authority also reiterated that payment of Council Tax and Business Rates for those forced to relocate due to the flooding has been suspended until March 31, with Yorkshire Water also announcing today it was to suspend charges for its customers until they were back in their homes.

The Bradford-based company also said it would also make an allowance for eligible customers who chose to remain in their homes, but whose bills rose significantly as a result of clean-up activities.

Yorkshire Water CEO Richard Flint said: "We recognise that some of our customers are going through a terrible time as a result of the flooding and we want to help them get back on their feet as quickly as possible.

"Several councils have already said they will suspend customers’ Council Tax bills, and we are pleased to be in a position to support our customers in a similar way.

"Yorkshire Water has been busy working round the clock over Christmas to support the emergency flood relief effort.

"We’ve deployed significant extra resources, and these remain in place as we assist with the ongoing recovery.

"While a great number of our water and sewage treatment works were inundated by the floods, our colleagues ensured that water supplies were maintained at all times across the Yorkshire region.

"This service will be essential during the big clean-up."

Any Yorkshire Water customers affected by the floods can contact the company on 0345 1242424 or visit yorkshirewater.com/floodsupport.

Skipton Building Society also announced today it was opening a special charity account for donations from anyone wishing to support flood victims across the country.

Branches in flood-hit communities are also accepting donations of items such as blankets and bedding, cleaning products, brushes and mops, dried and tinned food, and clothing, which staff will then deliver to the nearest flood distribution centres.

Its spokeswoman Rebecca Willey said: "Community is very important to everyone at Skipton Building Society, that’s why we want to help those who have suffered in their communities from the recent flooding."

With a Met Office yellow warning for further rain across West Yorkshire having now passed, all roads affected by the floods have re-opened, with Denton Bridge near Ilkley passing a safety assessment by Council engineers today.

Denton Bridge in Ilkley was declared safe today  

The single-lane road bridge over the River Wharfe had been struck by a tree being swept downstream, causing minor structural damage and issues with an electrical cable.

Concerns were also raised yesterday regarding Ireland Bridge in Bingley, but it was deemed safe following an inspection by Council staff and Army personnel.