The government have confirmed that they have implemented the Bellwin Scheme to cover the local authorities affected by the recent floods and this includes Bury. (The scheme takes its name from a former Minister in the Department of the Environment Lord Bellwin who first introduced such a scheme in 1983).
The Scheme means that local Councils will be reimbursed for costs incurred on, or in connection with, their immediate actions to safeguard life and property or to prevent suffering or severe inconvenience as a result of a disaster or emergency.
The government is also providing additional funds so Councils can give council tax and business rates relief to those affected. This will enable the Council to give up to 100% council tax discount to those unable to occupy their homes as a result of the flooding. It will also provide for up to 100% business rate relief for those businesses affected by the flooding.
One of the most frustrating things about ‘government’ is when it tries to portray itself as the big ‘giver’, as in ‘The government is also providing additional funds…’
When of course the ‘government’ has no funds at all…. the only money the ‘government’ has is that which has been taken from tax payers under threat of force…
So in fact the ‘government’ is just giving some tax payers cash back to compensate them for damage forced upon us by decisions made in the EU to stop dredging rivers…