BRADFORD is falling “behind the curve” by not addressing the causes of the Boxing Day floods, a senior councillor has warned.

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland said Calderdale Council had already published a final report into the causes, impact and response to the unprecedented flooding which hit Yorkshire last December.

But said a similar exercise in Bradford was only just getting off the ground, seven months after the devastation, with the first public information-gathering session only just held.

Back in January, the full council held a meeting dominated by the aftermath of the floods and passed a resolution instructing the authority’s corporate overview and scrutiny committee to conduct an “in-depth scrutiny review into the effectiveness of Bradford Council and its partners in dealing with the floods”.

Cllr Sunderland, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said she couldn’t believe the first public event for that probe had only been held last Thursday in Shipley library.

And the chairman of the committee leading the probe, Councillor Arshad Hussain, admitted more needed to be done.

“Things need improving, there is no doubt,” he said.

Cllr Sunderland (Idle and Thackley) said the delayed start was indicative of a wider lack of urgency within the council.

“Bradford just seems to be behind the curve,” she said.

But Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw (Lab, Windhill and Wrose), who chaired the corporate overview and scrutiny committee until becoming the executive member for planning in May, said Calderdale had opted to pay for an independent review. Bradford had instead chosen to go through its own scrutiny process and purdah, the period before elections, had delayed matters.

Cllr Sunderland said the wait was unacceptable.

“We are only now having our first scrutiny investigation to collate evidence from members of the public - and it’s July,” she said.

“What is shocking is that another authority, a nearby authority, has not only managed to collect its evidence, it has actually managed to report what it is doing.”

Cllr Sunderland’s views were echoed by residents at the Shipley meeting.

Tim Meggitt, of Castlefield Lane, Crossflatts, said: “I am disappointed we are having these conversations seven months down the line. This session should have been held within a fortnight. As far as we are concerned the council have done absolutely nothing to assist us to get our community back up and running.”

He said his home had been flooded and builders had only just started work.

“If it hadn’t been for volunteers the road would still be five inches deep in mud. Most of it has already set like concrete in the drains. There has been no strategy. No one has any idea what would happen if it flooded again tomorrow. We are getting no further forward,” he added.

Graham and Ann Newby, from Baildon, are still living with friends while their home is repaired in Aire Close.

“Everything was uncoordinated,” said Mrs Newby.

“Each agency or organisation you rang said it was someone else’s department and the council didn’t seem to know what to do. How are things going to be done differently?”

Others claimed poor maintenance of drains, rivers or infrastructure contributed to a lot of the flooding.

Malcolm Rook, of Redcar Lane, Silsden, believes flooding on their road was caused by a council drain which had an 18-inch drain directing water into a six-inch culvert.

“It can’t cope with that water. It causes flooding in the road on a blind bend and cars are left abandoned for days.”

Cllr Hussain said the council would speak to neighbouring authorities use the feedback from public meetings and online consultation in his report.

“I aim to make a strong report because I would not want anyone to go through anything like this again. Things need improving there is no doubt,” he added.

He said Bradford Council was also speaking to neighbouring local authorities.

A second public meeting will be held in Shipley library tomorrow at 2pm.

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