'Doncaster's resilience has been tested to breaking point’

Doncaster mayor Ros Jones has said flood alerts remain in place but agencies on the ground say rivers have peaked without major incident.
Doncaster Council deliver sandbags in Fishlake  as river levels rise. January 19 2021. The Environment Agency has told councils to plan for possible flooding, amid the prospect of torrential rain and melting snow.  Storm Christoph's imminent arrival has triggered a major incident in South Yorkshire - ahead of strong winds, widespread flooding and snowfall.  An amber weather warning has been put in place by the Met Office until Thursday for central northern England which will affect the area across to Manchester, up to Leeds and Sheffield and as far south as Peterborough.Doncaster Council deliver sandbags in Fishlake  as river levels rise. January 19 2021. The Environment Agency has told councils to plan for possible flooding, amid the prospect of torrential rain and melting snow.  Storm Christoph's imminent arrival has triggered a major incident in South Yorkshire - ahead of strong winds, widespread flooding and snowfall.  An amber weather warning has been put in place by the Met Office until Thursday for central northern England which will affect the area across to Manchester, up to Leeds and Sheffield and as far south as Peterborough.
Doncaster Council deliver sandbags in Fishlake as river levels rise. January 19 2021. The Environment Agency has told councils to plan for possible flooding, amid the prospect of torrential rain and melting snow. Storm Christoph's imminent arrival has triggered a major incident in South Yorkshire - ahead of strong winds, widespread flooding and snowfall. An amber weather warning has been put in place by the Met Office until Thursday for central northern England which will affect the area across to Manchester, up to Leeds and Sheffield and as far south as Peterborough.

The Environment Agency have said levels in the village of Fishlake have peaked with some overtopping, but add that this is expected and the flood defences are working.

The mayor paid tribute to staff from the council and other partners who had worked around the clock over the last few days to shore up homes with sandbags and temporary flood measures like barriers.

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Speaking to a meeting of the full council, Mayor Jones said the borough’s resilience from the 2019 floods, the pandemic and the latest weather warnings had tested it to ‘breaking point’.

Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster. Picture: Marie Caley NDFP 16-02-15 MC 3Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster. Picture: Marie Caley NDFP 16-02-15 MC 3
Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster. Picture: Marie Caley NDFP 16-02-15 MC 3

A major incident was declared on Monday, with more than 40,000 sandbags distributed in flood-risk areas and a barrier built around a Covid-19 vaccination centre in Mexborough.

DMBC chief executive Damian Allen said 250 to 300 people had been out to help prepare defences and that the earlier warning from the Met Office gave the council more time to prepare than it did in 2019.

Mayor Jones said: “Members are aware that we proactively declared a major incident for potential flooding. We have seen significant rainfall and flood alerts are still in place. It’s an ongoing situation which we are monitoring closely.

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“Services have worked 24/7 to support local people and I would like to thank staff, communities, and partners for their tremendous effort to put the robust plans in place, and to be there for our residents and businesses.

“Over the past year, Doncaster’s resilience has been tested to breaking point. Whilst residents and businesses were recovering from the devastating impacts of the 2019 floods, the Covid-19 pandemic created among precedented health and economic crises.

“We have persevered and delivered to our communities, as part of an incredible team effort to save lives, provide care and stop the virus spreading.

“We have worked with partners to get financial support out to those whose businesses, and livelihoods have been affected. Whilst continuing to deliver housing major projects and essential services for the people of Doncaster.”