Businesses in Renfrew affected by flooding during Storm Boelo have been offered £2,500 each by the Scottish Government, a figure that has drawn criticism from local politicians.
The flat-rate payment was confirmed to elected members at a special meeting of Renfrewshire Council on Monday. Officers coordinating support for businesses said the sum followed a meeting with the Scottish Government, and that estimated losses suffered by traders ranged from £2,000 to £300,000.
Concerns over compensation level
Labour group leader Iain McMillan said after the meeting: "During the meeting, we heard very concerning estimates of the value of the damage done to businesses in Renfrew. So far, the Scottish Government has offered a flat rate of £2,500 worth of compensation and we are alarmed that this offer is so low, considering the extent of the damage. We will be monitoring and scrutinising these developments closely."
The climate secretary activated the flood recovery framework following Storm Boelo. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "As a result of the significant impacts of Storm Boelo, the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs activated the flood recovery framework to provide financial support to help impacted communities and businesses. This allows for grants of up to £500 for eligible households, and up to £2,500 for eligible businesses, and we are currently working with Renfrewshire Council on the delivery of these recovery grants."
Council review of flood prevention
At the meeting, a Labour motion calling for a report on the council's response to Storm Boelo and the impact of flooding in Renfrew was passed after a vote. Councillor Andy Doig, who represents Johnstone North and the surrounding villages, wanted the review extended to other areas in Renfrewshire, but his amendment was not accepted. "Flood events do not magically stop at the Renfrew/Paisley border," he said afterwards.
Last week, the council pledged to undertake a "comprehensive review" of its flood prevention arrangements after barriers were not activated in Renfrew in the face of Storm Boelo. The review will examine the night of Saturday, October 24, when water spilled out of the River Clyde during a Met Office amber warning for wind.
The council said forecasts "significantly underestimated" tidal levels, adding that no flood warning was issued by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) for the town. SEPA confirmed it was reviewing the flooding event alongside the council and other partners. A spokesperson said: "It is important that resilience partners take all opportunities to share learning in anticipation of severe weather events becoming more prevalent and impactful in Scotland."
Support for affected businesses
This week, a council spokesperson said: "We acknowledge this has been an especially difficult time for businesses who experienced flooding during the recent Storm Boelo. The council has offered assistance in various ways since the storm and we have made contact with all 13 business premises affected. We are in the process of fact finding and asking businesses to estimate their losses in order we can provide as full a picture as possible to the Scottish Government which has activated its flood recovery framework. We remain in dialogue with the Scottish Government and the affected businesses to assist as much as we can with their recovery."
