B&NES Council’s Emergency Management Team has contacted Saltford Parish Council to advise that forecasted river levels are due to be high through Saltford on the morning of Friday 13 January. This information has been shared following their meeting with the Environment Agency.
SPC has been informed that there is possibility of a significant impact through Bath in the early hours of Friday morning, then through Saltford and Keynsham and into Compton Dando and the Chew Valley.
Saltford Parish Council is advising residents to be aware of high river levels and possible flooding, as well as excess water in other areas causing issues such as flooding on the roads (Please find information below about flooding and places of safety).
Media release from B&NES Council as follows:
SPC has also been sent the following information from B&NES Council: Continued heavy rainfall is causing flooding in vulnerable parts Bath and North East Somerset as river levels remain high. Across the area B&NES Council is working hard to clear roads, clear gullies and our cleansing teams are clearing debris where they are able to. B&NES Council’s Emergency Planning team is also helping some residents prepare for any threats to properties. Car parks are being monitored at Bath Hill East and Avon Steet.
The water level along all rivers is expected to continue to rise throughout today and tomorrow with a Met Office yellow warning for rain in place until 5pm today. B&NES Teams are monitoring water levels, liaising with the Environment Agency and with neighbouring councils and are preparing to take any action necessary. More updates will be provided on B&NES Council’s social media channels.
Residents can log flooding issues using Fix My Street or call Council Connect on 01225 39 40 41 and check for service disruptions here
For the latest update on flooding go to the Environment Agency
To report an incident contact us on Fix My Street
For the latest travel updates across the region go to Travel West
For wellbeing support contact Community Wellbeing Hub 0300 247 0050
Reporting issues to B&NES Council:
B&NES Council’s Emergency Management Team has advised residents to contact B&NES Council to report issues and emergencies caused by the recent bad weather.
As above, issues can be reported to B&NES Council via Council Connect and/or FixMyStreet.
Emergencies can be reported to B&NES Council on 01225 394041 (option 9) and via the ‘Report an emergency‘ page on the B&NES Council website.
B&NES Council’s out-of-hours emergency number is 01225 477477.
In a life-threatening emergency, residents are reminded to contact the emergency services on 999.
Please also see the Emergencies page of the B&NES Council website for information on what emergencies B&NES Council is responsible for. Information about the role and actions of the B&NES Council Emergency Management Team is also on the B&NES Council website.
Please note that Saltford Parish Council is not responsible for emergency planning and response. B&NES Council is the responsible authority for emergency planning and community resilience for our area. Do not contact SPC – please contact B&NES Council.
B&NES Council also is the Lead Local Flood Authority for Saltford. Please find more information about flooding below. Please note that B&NES Council does not provide sandbags to private properties.
Please see SPC’s Report It page for more information about who residents can contact regarding issues.
Places of Safety in Saltford
If you need to evacuate from your home due to a large-scale emergency, or if the emergency services require an emergency assembly point following a significant incident locally, Saltford Hall is the village’s assigned place of safety. Please do not head to Saltford Hall in this instance unless SPC or SCA has posted that Saltford Hall is open as a Place of Safety via its communications channels.
If Saltford Hall is not accessible during an emergency, a second assembly point will be identified. This information will be shared by the Saltford Emergency Coordinators Group and the appropriate authorities, likely via social media and websites.
Saltford’s main place of safety or emergency assembly point is Saltford Hall
Address: Saltford Hall, Wedmore Road, Saltford BS31 3BY.
Map: Click here
What3words: ///inspector.buns.dollar
Directions: Saltford Hall is situated halfway between Bristol and Bath, and access is gained from the A4 Bath Road by turning into either Norman or Beech Road. If accessing from the A4 onto Norman Road, turn left onto Brockley Road, then at the end right onto Stratton Road then immediately left onto Broadway. You will see Saltford Hall directly in front of you. If accessing from the A4 onto Beech Road, turn left at the end of Beech Road onto Norman Road, then turn right onto Stratton Road, follow round and turn gentle right onto Chelwood Road and follow round – just beyond the play park is Saltford Hall on the right.
If leaving home for a place of safety, you may wish to bring personal belongings such as: medication; warm clothes; phone & charger; snacks/water; ID; keys; essential toiletries; wallet/cash/card; glasses; torch.
Saltford Hall has a large hall and five meeting rooms meaning it has a capacity for a high number of people if required. Saltford Hall has: accessible entry; tables; chairs; toilets (inc. one disabled toilet); heating; kitchen; cooker; fridge; refreshment facilities; small office area; telephones; good quality WiFi; baby changing facilities (in accessible toilet); some storage space; parking in the nearby Wedmore Road car park. Please note it does not have: designated changing space; washing facilities other than in toilet areas; a children’s area, creche or toys; or a multi-faith room. Pets are allowed in Saltford Hall an emergency if caged / under control.
Saltford Emergency Planning and Resilience / Saltford Emergency Coordinators Group
Saltford’s Emergency Planning and Resilience page has information on how residents can prepare for an emergency, how they can offer help during an emergency to the group, as well as other useful information.
The Saltford Emergency Coordinators Group has been made aware of the information received from B&NES Council and is in contact regarding the situation as notified to SPC by B&NES Council.
This group of volunteers is independent of SPC and has no formal responsibility for any local emergencies. More information can be found at https://www.saltfordparishcouncil.gov.uk/saltford-resilience-and-emergency-planning/ If the group decides it needs to act, this information will be shared by SPC and/or SCA, and the group will be supported by an officer in the B&NES Emergency Management Team (B&NES Council is the responsible authority for Emergency Planning).
Flooding
Information about flooding emergencies can be found on B&NES Council’s website. Who to contact about a flooding incident can be found on the B&NES Council ‘Report a flooding incident’ page. Information about B&NES Council as the Lead Flooding Authority is also available.
B&NES Council’s policy is that provision of sandbags for properties are the responsibility of the property owner (not the council), and owners are advised to purchase and store sandbags in preparation for flooding emergencies. Further information about property flood resistance can be found below.
Flood warnings: To sign up for free flood warnings please visit this Government webpage. This allows residents to receive warnings by phone, email or text message if your home or business is at risk of flooding. The service is free. You will need to provide the address you are registering, a phone number you can be contacted on (day or night) and an email address. Avon Level at Saltford’ page.
Who to report flooding to: Who you need to contact to report flooding depends on what is flooding. The link below explains when you need to report an incident to the Environment Agency, your local water company or to B&NES Council: See Report a flood or possible cause of flooding – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Residents and businesses are able to report flooding online on the Flood Online Reporting Tool, FORT link: FORT – Home (geowessex.com) For how this information is used to help the community, there is a pre-recorded presentation by Guy Parker from the Environment Agency that you can view here: Flood Online Reporting Tool (FORT) Presentation – YouTube The Floodline number (24 hour service) is: 0345 988 1188 (costs may apply, see here)
Prepare for flooding: This Government webpage details how to protect yourself from flooding, including advice if you own a riverside property. This Government webpage details information about creating a Personal Flood Plan. If you are a business, see here for advice on how to prepare for flooding. Practical EA advice about reducing the impact of groundwater flooding on properties can be found here. Residents may also find the Flood Hub’s Property Flood Resilience Toolkit useful. Further information including case studies of flooding and resilience measures which have been implemented can be found in this Property Flood Resilience booklet.
Guidance if you have been flooded: Environment Agency advice on what to do before, during and after a flood can be found here. If you have been impacted by flooding, the National Flood Forum is a charity that helps, supports and represents people at risk of flooding and during or after being flooded. Please find information on their website or call 01299 403 055.
Health and safety concerns following flooding: Public Health England have produced a document about frequently asked health questions to do with flooding . Please see here for more information.
See the gaugemap.co.uk Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/riverlevel_0434 for the latest river level in Saltford (as in image)