A council’s excuse for failing to pay out grants to flood victims was blown apart by a Dumfries trader today (Thursday).
Dumfries and Galloway’s council said they failed to pay £700,000 allocated to it for New Year flooding victims because the money was restricted to Storm Desmond victims in early December.
But Carol Williamson of Ivano’s on the Whitesands today revealed that she was flooded by Storm Desmond and was still refused the grant of £1500 which Finance Minister John Swinney allocated to the council in December.
Carol approach council officers afterwards and was told ‘we don’t know anything about a grant’.
Carol said:
“The D&G council should be held to account for not informing the public almost 1 month ago about the flat grant of £1500.
“To withhold this hope of help to flood victims is a crime in my opinion.
“They have suffered stress and trauma and need help not bureaucrats hiding funds and only letting them know when they see fit. This was money allocated by the Scottish Government they should have acted like decent compassionate humans.”
Carol approached MSP Joan McAlpine for help, after the local politician pressured the council into finally putting the detail of the grants on its website earlier this week.
Several victims have now been paid their allocations.
Earlier this week a row broke out in Holyrood, when a heated exchange ended with the Deputy First Minister calling on the council to ‘pay up to the people and stop finding excuses.’
Commenting, Ms McAlpine said:
“I’m glad people are finally getting the help they need, but it begs the question why D&G councillors were claiming they were unable to give people the grants as late as last week but are now suddenly able to do so.”
