Today we made a big leap forward in getting a buy-back scheme for flood-prone properties. Dale St residents came to Council today, and their presence made a strong and silent case for the scheme. Their quiet resilience and determination spoke volumes.
And they need to be resilient. This is the third year in a row Dale St has flooded. Three years in a row muddy waters have come in under the houses of Dale St, and left a layer of mud on their ground floors.
I have seen four families come and go from one house due to the floods. It is the fifth time in about four years that one family has had to move out their gear from under their house.
But they cannot go on. They are at the limit of endurance.
Each year they have to put their life on hold as they move out of the way of flood waters. One family had just got their house sorted out two months ago, following the last flood. Relationships have broken down under the stress.
This is not about houses and property. This is about ordinary people, and the trauma and stress they are suffering. And that is why I plead with my fellow councillors to do the right thing and adopt the flood buy back scheme.
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