Leader praises team spirit at work in face of floods

Press release - 25 July 2007

Leader praises team spirit at work in face of floods

Leader of Shropshire County Council Malcolm Pate today praised the team spirit at work across Shropshire and beyond as people faced the challenges caused by unprecedented flooding.

Speaking before a meeting of Cabinet, Malcolm Pate said: “I offer my deepest sympathy to all those whose lives have been affected by the extreme weather. The scale of damage to homes and businesses is huge, and the experience of being flooded out is heartbreaking. The havoc it causes can be far-reaching and long-lasting, and my very best wishes go to all those who have suffered.

“I also want to thank everyone – from the emergency services, local councils and their contractors, and people in the voluntary sector – who continue to work exceedingly hard to assist people in need and deliver services as well as possible. The way that teams from different organisations have worked together, and their commitment to public service, has been exemplary.

“For the County Council, our divisional teams have been working round the clock to keep the county moving during some of the worst weather we have ever seen. And we are on standby to respond to requests from Government or other councils for mutual aid to areas down river from us,” Malcolm Pate added.

ENDS

Additional information

Shropshire County Council is the lead council for an ambitious programme of outdoor arts performance called the Severn Project 2007, which is due to launch soon. Colleagues in some of the isolated rural communities who live along the Severn - such as Upton-on-Severn, which has been badly affected by the floods – are very keen for the project to go ahead. It will do so in a spirit of responding to people and their predicament. The organisers are also now collaborating with the Red Cross, who are very excited about the potential of the project not only to raise community spirits and cohesion, but also to support their fund raising efforts for the flooded communities along The Severn.

For further information, call Malcolm Pate, Leader, tel via (01743) 252003
For media contact, call John Hargreaves, Head of Communications, tel (01743) 252813.