Mayor’s Civic Duties and Announcement – July 2025
Building a more positive community and embracing every opportunity!
In the Community, for the Community!
This month’s Mayor’s civic duties have included the following:
- 01.07.2025 – Deputy Mayor Councillor Kellett and I attended an evening workshop at Ulverston St Mary’s Hospice.
- 04.07.2025 – PPG urgent meeting regarding the cut back of Minor Injuries services for Millom.
- 08.07.2025 – Opening of the new Ninja Play Park at Haverigg.
- 11.07.2025 – Home Group inspection in Haverigg, including noting blocked drains.
- 13.07.2025 – Kendal Civic Service, attended with Deputy Mayor Councillor Kellett.
- 17.07.2025 – Flood Group meeting with Michelle Scrogham MP, United Utilities, Cumberland Authority, Environment Agency, Millom Town Council and the Millom Flood Action Group.
- 18.07.2025 – Stephen Peter Memorial Service.
- 26.07.2025 – St George’s Askam Town Band concert.
Town Deal Update
Town Deal meetings this month: 7 meetings, including the launch of the long jump facility, two visits inside the Old Bank, and a site visit of all projects with 32West PR company from Ulverston.
Summary and Action Plan – Millom Flood Action Stakeholder Meeting
Date: 17 July 2025
Meeting Summary
- Reviewing historical flood events and infrastructure failures since 2006.
- Analysing systemic failures at the King Street pumping station.
- Reviewing emergency response processes and community trauma since 2017.
- Discussing funding delays and communication gaps around planned flood alleviation schemes.
- Outlining an urgent need for short-term mitigations while longer-term engineering works are developed and funded.
- Commitment to re-establishing regular, transparent communication with the community and between stakeholders.
Agreed Actions by Organisation
United Utilities (UU)
- Investigate and report on screen failure and King Street pumping station telemetry logs.
- Share a clear plan for emergency generator use and weekend staffing.
- Provide timelines and scope for proposed upgrades (tank capacity, telemetry resilience, infiltration schemes).
- Collaborate with stakeholders to clarify responsibilities and address misinformation.
- Create a newsletter with stakeholder support.
Cumberland Council
- Publish a monthly maintenance schedule for gully clearing.
- Reissue updated Section 19 flood reports and ensure data accuracy.
- Work with UU and the Environment Agency to secure and publicise funding status for the £40m flood alleviation scheme.
- Coordinate clear public communications, including printed information for non-digital residents.
- Pilot intelligent gully sensors in the most affected areas.
Environment Agency (EA)
- Provide a formal update on the programme pipeline and prioritisation process.
- Assist in reviewing the business case score to keep Millom’s scheme on the funding radar.
- Offer technical support for short-term nature-based solutions while capital works are pending.
Millom Town Council
- Support immediate emergency preparedness efforts including flood snakes, sandbags and pump access.
- Review and circulate emergency contact information to residents, including non-social-media users.
- Act as the central coordination point for distributing resilience resources.
- Host and minute bi-monthly stakeholder meetings.
Michelle Scrogham MP
- Advocate for the scheme at Westminster.
- Write to government departments seeking clarification on capital funding freezes and timeline slippage.
- Engage with DEFRA and DLUHC on resilience funding, insurance access and flood risk reclassification.
Millom Flood Action Group and Community Action Group
- Continue gathering evidence of flood impacts including photos, statements and damage logs.
- Provide regular updates to United Utilities and the Council to ensure accountability.
- Assist with coordinating community resilience plans and emergency awareness events.
Millom Resilience Group
- Audit existing community flood equipment and request replenishment where required.
- Work with the Town Council and Flood Action Group to develop and test a Community Flood Response Plan.
- Apply for resilience grants and funding in collaboration with local groups.
Next Steps
- Next meeting to be held in early September 2025, with meetings continuing on a bi-monthly basis.
- Stakeholders to submit updates and progress reports in advance of the next meeting.
- A Doodle poll will be circulated to finalise the September meeting date and format.
Special thanks to the Clerk and the Finance Officer for their continued hard work.
