Flood victims still not back in homes
Hundreds of families, including residents from 26 homes in Tenbury Wells, who were hit by the summer floods of 2007 are still unable to move back into their old homes.
Hundreds of families, including residents from 26 homes in Tenbury Wells, who were hit by the summer floods of 2007 are still unable to move back into their old homes.
Of the 17,000 households forced to leave their houses almost two years ago, more than 350 are still living in temporary accommodation, or on the top floors of their home.
Of those, 38 are living fully or partly in caravans.
Currently there are 26 Tenbury households still affected by flood damage in the town, Libby Galton, spokesperson for Malvern Hills District Council confirmed.
She explained that the authority had allowed these properties to be exempt from council tax for the past year but this exemption was soon to lapse.
The executive committee will shortly consider continuing the funding into 2009/10.
And in Ludlow at least three homes are still affected by flood damage, local councillor Martin Taylor-Smith said.
He added: "It is impossible to tell when it is going to be finished. Drying out the plaster in some of the medieval buildings takes a lot of time."
Floods recovery minister John Healey said almost 40 families across the country were returning home every week, and most councils expected the rest of the flood victims to follow suit in the next few months.
"From my many visits to flood-hit areas I've seen for myself how long it can take to get homes straight again," he said.
"But it's good news that many councils predict everyone in their area will be back within the next couple of months.
"Councils have reported that on the whole most of those still not back were the worst affected and understandably drying out properties has taken time.
"Others have faced problems or delays with insurance companies or builders - or indeed had no insurance at all."
Mr Healey also said some households had chosen to have extra building work done on top of repairs, or chosen local builders who had taken longer to schedule repair work.
The 2007 floods affected 48,000 homes and 9,000 businesses.
By Sophie Bignall
