05 August 2005
Birmingham City Council has this week confirmed that it will offer emergency loans to uninsured residents whose properties were damaged by the tornado that tore through the city on July 28.
But the authority has rejected calls for it to foot the repairs bill for home owners and businesses that do not have insurance, saying it would not be fair on those who had taken out cover.
Instead, Birmingham will offer the loans, possibly interest-free, and is seeking emergency funds from the government to help cover the costs. Strategic resources director Stephen Hughes said that in the meantime the council would fund the loans from its own budget.
'Clearly the council can't take full responsibility where people are uninsured. If we did that no one would take out insurance and we would end up repairing every damaged house in the city,' he added.
Around 1,000 properties in the Balsall Heath, Kings Heath, Moseley and Sparkbrook areas were damaged when the tornado tore off roofs and caused structural damage.
One hundred and fifty residents have been housed in emergency accommodation and more than 20 buildings earmarked for demolition. The Ashworth Mairs Group, a firm of loss adjusters, has put the repairs bill at £40m.
Local government minister Phil Woolas, who visited Birmingham this week to see the devastation for himself, confirmed that the council would be eligible for financial support under the Bellwin Scheme.
He pledged that the government would do all it could to help. 'I have said to [council leader] Mike Whitby that if there are any gaps, we will attempt to fill them,' Woolas added.
PFaug2005
