Families in Milton of Finavon say they were “completely forgotten” when the village was devastated by Storm Babet – and they worry it could happen again this autumn.
Residents in the small Angus settlement, between Forfar and Brechin, warn they had to “shout to be heard” and don’t know where to go for help.
Five homes in Finavon were flooded last October when the River South Esk burst its banks, representing around 20% of all properties in the area.
One couple saw their house deluged for the second year in a row on the same week they were due to move back in.
A nearby bridge on the A90, which takes passengers over the river, was shut for months due to damage sustained during the storm.
“We were completely forgotten,” said local resident Andrew Anderson
He added: “This could happen again. Everyone in the village is nervous about what autumn and winter are going to bring.”
Mr Anderson, 54, says families have been left to try and stop future floods on their own, so local residents created a flood action group.
But making any progress has been almost impossible due to a range of logistical obstacles.
For example, residents want to create a drainage ditch which would then allow them to form a low-lying bund for protection from floodwater.
That would require planning permission, as well as the support of the local landowner.
The landowner wants detailed surveys but families in the hamlet don’t know how to get that done.
‘We don’t know where to turn’
“It’s down to local communities to say what we need,” Mr Anderson said. “But we’re not experts.
“We have no idea how to get an expert opinion. We don’t know where to turn.
“It took us about six months to get any assessment of what might need to be done. Making headway is difficult.”
Mr Anderson says Angus Council is “woefully under-resourced” to help.
“They want to do the right thing, but they haven’t got the bandwidth,” he told us.
Much attention has gone to Brechin, where hundreds of residents were forced to evacuate.
He reckons there needs to be a more direct effort from the Scottish Government to help communities in need.
“Some sort of central, coordinated response would make a lot of sense, and that’s missing,” he said.
North East Tory MSP Maurice Golden, who has been helping residents, agrees.
“We need a single body in Scotland responsible for flood defences and river basin management,” he said.
“It’s simply not good enough for this to keep happening and for ministers to do little more than shrug their shoulders.”
An SNP scheme after Storm Babet allowed affected families to claim up to £1,500 each in compensation.
Businesses could apply for grants of up to £3,000.
Angus Council also received £7 million in funding from an emergency UK Government programme.
SNP minister Gillian Martin said: “We recognise the devastating impact Storm Babet had on people and businesses in Angus.
“It is therefore quite understandable that, as we approach autumn and winter, there will be concern.
“Local authorities lead on flood defences, with the Scottish Government supporting their work financially.”
Conversation