Freezing weather in the America

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Originally Posted by BCram

Fair points made Deeranged, but I do think Councils should be involved in the preparation of flood defences. Maybe delivering sandbags that they store in preparation of an incident would be appropriate. Experience would show how many would be needed and an annual levy could be used to pay for the actual costs when the sandbags are needed.

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Permanent flood defences are definitely the responsibility of councils and whoever it is that manages (or doesn't manage) waterways.

Personal property defences are down to the resident, whether owner or tenant, in the property.

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Originally Posted by Deeranged

Is it really the responsibility of Argyll And Bute Council to protect resident's properties?

From what you've written it seems there's been historic issues of flooding in the area of Frederick Crescent on Islay, this will have been known by the residents of the street. So why did they wait until the storm was a day or two away before thinking about flood prevention? Why did they not have sandbags stored away in anticipation of any possible storm surge?

Given that flooding had happened due to previous storms at least twenty years ago, and presumably even further back in history than that, I have to wonder if the people that moved there took that into account when choosing where to live.

I don't see anyone being at fault here but the residents themselves. I have some words of wisdom for them and would ask you to pass these on

Fail to prepare - prepare to fail

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People pay their council tax to receive services from their local authority.
You can be sure that due to Storm Eowyn if there was a risk of flooding in Lochgilphead where the Argyll and Bute HQ is situated sandbags would have been immediately handed out to homeowners and businesses in the at risk areas.
About twenty years ago Frederick Crescent, Port Ellen was listed on the SEPA website as one of the places in Argyll and Bute at risk from flooding and requiring a flood prevention scheme to be installed.
What was done about it. Nothing.

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Originally Posted by Deeranged

Is it really the responsibility of Argyll And Bute Council to protect resident's properties?

From what you've written it seems there's been historic issues of flooding in the area of Frederick Crescent on Islay, this will have been known by the residents of the street. So why did they wait until the storm was a day or two away before thinking about flood prevention? Why did they not have sandbags stored away in anticipation of any possible storm surge?

Given that flooding had happened due to previous storms at least twenty years ago, and presumably even further back in history than that, I have to wonder if the people that moved there took that into account when choosing where to live.

I don't see anyone being at fault here but the residents themselves. I have some words of wisdom for them and would ask you to pass these on

Fail to prepare - prepare to fail

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Perhaps I did not make things clear in my post.
Last Friday 24th January 2025 was the first time ever that the properties in Frederick Crescent. Port Ellen had ever been flooded as a result of a storm pushing the sea water from Port Ellen Bay across Frederick Crescent and into these properties.

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Originally Posted by islaydarkblue

Perhaps I did not make things clear in my post.
Last Friday 24th January 2025 was the first time ever that the properties in Frederick Crescent. Port Ellen had ever been flooded as a result of a storm pushing the sea water from Port Ellen Bay across Frederick Crescent and into these properties.

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To be fair you didn't say that, I maybe misread it.

However it does seem that at some point the council has stopped delivering sand bags and residents have not taken the cue that maybe they should do something to protect themselves. Smacks of the modern ethos of expecting everything to be done for you.

If I lived in an area that was susceptible to flooding or storm surge I'm pretty sure I'd do something to protect my property when the weather forecast had been shouting for a few days about a large storm and wouldn't sit and wait for a council employee to deliver sand bags. Fortunately I'm not reckless enough to live in such an area and performed strict due diligence on every property I've ever owned.

Fail to prepare - prepare to fail

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Originally Posted by Deeranged

To be fair you didn't say that, I maybe misread it.

However it does seem that at some point the council has stopped delivering sand bags and residents have not taken the cue that maybe they should do something to protect themselves. Smacks of the modern ethos of expecting everything to be done for you.

If I lived in an area that was susceptible to flooding or storm surge I'm pretty sure I'd do something to protect my property when the weather forecast had been shouting for a few days about a large storm and wouldn't sit and wait for a council employee to deliver sand bags. Fortunately I'm not reckless enough to live in such an area and performed strict due diligence on every property I've ever owned.

Fail to prepare - prepare to fail

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If the Chief Executive of Argyll and Bute Council had made a statement at the beginning of April 2024 (the start of the Council?s current financial year) advising all the council taxpayers and businesses throughout Argyll and Bute that they were longer handing out sandbags to householders and businesses in areas prone to flooding throughout Argyll and Bute when storms were forecast people living in Frederick Crescent, Port Ellen would have been well warned.
Instead the Chief Executive said nothing.
If Argyll and Bute Council was hard up they could have used the funds in their Common Good fund to purchase sandbags to be filled by local residents in these areas prone to flooding thanks to inaction by SEPA who are responsible for flood prevention throughout Scotland.
Last Friday all the Argyll and Bute Council staff had a day?s holiday as they were told not to report for work due to Storm Eowyn.
This resulted in the residents in Frederick Crescent, Port Ellen being left to deal things themselves with assistance from a local Argyll and Bute councillor who told me that he called the local coastguard service for assistance and help.