Cupar flooding recovery: Letter from First Minister to Willie Rennie MSP

To:  Willie Rennie, Member of the Scottish Parliament for North East Fife

From:  John Swinney, First Minister 

Dear Willie 

Flood support for Cupar residents and businesses

Thank you for raising the issue of support for Cupar residents and businesses impacted by flooding from Storm Gerrit.

I can assure you that Scottish Ministers take the issue of flood resilience and the impacts on local communities very seriously. We know that in the face of climate change improving flood resilience is one of the largest adaptation challenges we face.   

Responsibility for flood resilience is primarily that of the occupier of a property, and then for a Local Authority to consider community level resilience. It is only in extreme cases where local resources have been exhausted that the Scottish Government will provide support. We are developing a Flood Recovery Framework to add greater clarity to when the Government will provide support around flooding events.

In the particular case of Cupar, you will be glad to know that I have instructed my officials to work with Fife Council to provide the same level of support as was provided for those residents and businesses impacted by Storm Babet. As you will understand this process of awarding grants needs to be robust and so there will be a short delay as Fife Council put this in place, but I have been clear that this should be achieved as swiftly as possible.

I hope this news will be of comfort to your constituents.

                                         JOHN SWINNEY