Perth and Kinross Council’s review has revealed that leaving certain floodgates open over a weekend in October 2023 was deemed as the “wrong decision.” The council’s chief executive, a former senior council official, and a committee have collectively acknowledged the error in not following the protocol to close the floodgates on October 8, 2023. This failure resulted in significant flood damage to properties such as Bell’s Sports Centre, costing an estimated £2 million in damages. The review, prepared by PKC’s legal chief Lisa Simpson, highlighted the inadequate staffing levels and the unexpected severity of the weather event as factors that compromised the response quality on that occasion.
Numerous businesses, residents, and organisations, including ABC Nursery, King James VI Golf Club, and St John’s Football Club, experienced flooding as a result of the open floodgates. Residents had to evacuate their homes for months due to the flood damage incurred. The Perth Flood Prevention Scheme (PFPS) was implemented in 2001 to protect against such flooding incidents; however, the review emphasized that the scheme did not guarantee prevention of flooding but aimed to mitigate its impact from the River Tay.
Following the incident, Perth and Kinross Council has made changes, including the purchase of lightweight barriers and increasing the number of staff trained to manage floodgates. These measures aim to improve response capabilities in similar events in the future. Additionally, PKC now activates proactive gate closures in areas like South Inch and Craigie Burn in anticipation of severe weather warnings to prevent a recurrence of the 2023 incident.
Mid Scotland and Fife Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser described the review findings as “damning,” pointing out the council’s delayed acceptance of responsibility for leaving the floodgates open. While the report commended the council’s effective response to severe weather events later in 2023, it raised concerns over the mishandling of the October flooding incident.
The conclusion of the review will be deliberated further in Perth and Kinross Council’s Scrutiny and Performance Committee meeting. The council’s acknowledgement of the mistakes made and the implementation of proactive measures signify progress towards more robust flood response strategies for the future.
In summary, the review conducted by Perth and Kinross Council highlighted the errors made in not closing floodgates during a severe weather event in October 2023. The council has since made changes to enhance its flood response capabilities and mitigate future risks. The forthcoming discussions in the Scrutiny and Performance Committee aim to ensure that lessons learned from this incident are leveraged to prevent similar occurrences in the future.