The Parish Council held several meetings which were attended by many local residents to help create a Flood Action Plan. Rory Stewart MP visited Warcop and offered support and the Environment Agency (EA) came down and visited the main areas of damage and concern.
The main areas agreed were:
Parish given permission for local volunteers to clear extensive undergrowth from Crook’s Beck from the centre of the village to the mouth of the Eden.
The EA agreed to fund the work to widen the beck to slow down the flow of water in any future floods.
Build up of gravel at Eden Bridge to be removed and threat to road as river is now effectively spilt in two. No agreement yet as to who will give permission or fund this.
CCC Highways to repair railings and posts alongside beck and fund paint for village volunteers to re-paint them after any EA work has been completed.
Highways repaired the low bridge over the beck whose wall had been partly washed away in the floods.
The Parish Council would like to thank all local residents who have worked so hard clearing trees and vegetation along the beck and disposing of the waste. Look out for some photos on the website soon to show some of the great work done and how it has opened up the views of the village. Many homes were flooded and we hope that this great example of community spirit will help prevent such flooding and heartache for residents in future.
Thanks also to those residents who helped make a good start on tidying up the willow maze in Warcop which had become overgrown. The Parish Council hopes to organise some more village tidy up sessions and would encourage lots of volunteers will come along to help.