COST price door and vent guards are to be made available to flood-hit residents in Aberdeenshire to enable them to better protect their properties in the future.
Members of Aberdeenshire Council's policy and resources committee gave their support to the plan at a meeting last week.
Homes and businesses in Stonehaven were badly flooded after torrential rain hit the town on November 1 last year.
A report pr
epared by Chief Executive Colin Mackenzie stated: "These are relatively expensive to purchase and the council has previously loaned guards to owners of properties known to be at particular risk of flooding.
"However, now that the benefits of these guards are becoming better known, the council is receiving many requests for door guards to be provided, especially from residents in Stonehaven. By purchasing them in bulk the council can obtain them at a much reduced price. A standard door guard can be purchased by the council in bulk for £215 and a vent guard for £30."
Councillor Peter Argyle, Infrastructure Services Committee Chairman, said: "The door guards are a very good idea and I would recommend that we go down that route. Not only do they work, but they also give people a sense of security because if something happens again then they know they can do something themselves without having to rely on other people."
Paul Hendy, of the Scottish Flood Forum, who has been lending his expertise and advice to the Stonehaven community over the past months, was also present at the meeting.
He threw his weight behind the proposal and said: "We believe very much that home owners need to take personal responsibility in protecting their properties and it is an incredible comfort to know that Aberdeenshire Council are looking at helping provide these guards. It will give a measure of hope back into a community which has gone through a traumatic experience."
Mr Hendy added: "It has been a privilege working within this county. Flooding isn't something we particularly need or want but happens and it is something we are going to have to deal with a lot more often. Now, it's about the lessons that we have learned from Stonehaven and Huntly, and these lessons went directly into Dumfries and already we are establishing a very similar pattern of what we did here."
The committee also backed plans for a review of the council's policy and procedures relating to the response to the flooding, but praised the efforts of all the services involved.
Leader of Aberdeenshire Council Anne Robertson said: "I would like to pay tribute to the work that has gone on in Kincardine and Mearns, and Marr, because the area managers there have gone about their work very quietly and very efficiently, putting in many long hours. I do think that our staff have done a remarkable job in very difficult circumstances."
Councillor Argyle added: "Clearly when people have had their properties flooded there is a lot of anger about, as well as many urban myths circulating, particularly in those areas most badly affected. I think this report is very clear and analytical, and I echo the comments that have been made about the way the services responded to the situation. The response to the flooding had to happen very quickly and I think that it was the best that could be done under very difficult circumstances."
The report stated: "Overall, it was felt that the emergency response had been handled well both at tactical and operational levels. However, it was acknowledged that there was room for improvement and that a review of procedures was necessary. Arranging a mock exercise in the not too distant future was also considered desirable."
Particular issues identified as requiring review include communications, weather forecasting, sandbags, emergency plans and training.
Councillor Mike Raeburn said: "I would stress that this was an unprecedented event - it had never happened like this before and I don't think anybody could criticise us for our response to an unprecedented event.
The committee approved the recommendations to endorse the actions of officers in undertaking emergency action to mitigate the impacts of the recent flooding events and to approve expenditure of £2.2 million to effect emergency repairs to the Council's infrastructure assets.
In addition, they endorsed the findings of the de-brief in terms of the satisfactory performance of Aberdeenshire Council and other public agencies in the flooding response and agreed to convey councillors' comments on the council's response to the Scrutiny and Audit Committee.
Councillor Paul Melling also took the opportunity to ask whether the Council had received any response from the Scottish Government regarding the £5.7 million funding appeal for the Bervie Braes.
Director of Transport and Infrastructures Iain Gabriel said that communication regarding the matter had not yet been forthcoming from the government.