12th July 2012

LYME REGIS: Emergency plan fiasco exposed by worst flooding in 70 years

By Philip Evans

THE worst flooding to hit Lyme Regis for 70 years has exposed the fraility of the town’s emergency plans.

The town’s designated emergency centre has been the Woodmead Halls for several years.

The hall management committee was asked to open the hall on Saturday after the area was hit by a month’s rainfall in a day with the possibility of some homes close to the River Lim being evacuated after severe flooding.

A number of town councillors turned up at the halls to assist only to find that the town’s emergency box contained a couple of high visibilty jackets, some paperwork and little else.

After two and a half hours the emergency was deemed to have passed, leaving the councillors puzzled over who was responsible for co-ordinating any emergency plans.

Fiasco

Later in the day, following a substantial landlside at the eastern end of Monmouth Beach, the halls were put on standby but again were not used.

It is understood that the request to open the halls came from a PCSO to a councillor and the Mayor, Councillor Sally Holman, subsequently contacted halls chairman Stan Williams, who later described the situation as “a fiasco”.

Mr Williams said the halls management committee were approached two years ago by the county and asked to install a telephone and broadband connection for use in a possible emergency if Lyme Regis was cut off by road.

“We responded to this request and have installed all the necessary equipment at considerable cost,” said Mr Williams.

“We were also told that there might be a grant to cover the cost. We had an emergency box delivered, which quite frankly is a joke, and since then we have not heard a word from either the county or town council.

“I did receive a call from a county official on Saturday night asking if we needed anything but he said he was unable to do much until after the Olympics.

“Town councillors turned up at the halls but no-one seemed to know what was going on. We have been told categorically by the county that our role is to open the halls and then others will then take charge.”

Mr Williams said he intended to raise the matter at the next council meeting to clarify what would happen in the future.

He continued: “Had it rained for another three hours on Saturday Lyme could have been facing a serious incident but no one seems to know what is going on.”

Among the town councillors who turned up at the halls on Satutday were Daryl Turner, Michaela Ellis (halls caretaker), Lorna Jenkin, Riki Austin, Chris Clipson and Terry O”Grady.

Councillor Holman told the View from Lyme Regis that a full investigation into future emergency procedures would be carried out by the town council to establish a “chain of command” in such situations.

She paid tribute to the town’s emergency workers. especially the Fire Brigade, Police and Lideboat crew, and to town councillors who “rolled up their sleeves” to help with the situation.

PICTURE 1: OVERFLOWING - Daring residents were warned by emergency services not to walk along the Lynch river pathway but some still took the chance

PICTURE 2: OPEN THE BOX! Woodmead Halls management committee members Stan Williams (left) and Jim Sweetland with the town's emergency kit

PICTURE 3: FLOODS HIT LYME - The River Lim rose by at least four feet on Saturday as a high tide and heavy rain caused the worst floods the town has seen for 70 years

LYME REGIS: Emergency plan fiasco exposed by worst flooding in 70 years

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