We’d like to know… How do your experiences compare to those of people in Hull? Are they the same/different? Are there particular issues for Cumbria that we should focus on? What issues and concerns do you have that you would like future research to address?

Young people’s concerns… This really is important! Affects every area of their lives. What support is available from school? Schools using floods as an excuse – not a problem if you didn’t move out?! The Northside Bridge – affects social life (e.g. cinema, meeting friends/family), journey to college and part-time jobs The politics Are the floods being used as a PR stunt by politicians in election year? Why does it take so long to get a replacement bridge? “If this was London…” What about using local workforce to do it? The potential for change in the future?

How to understand (and therefore manage) the problem as a whole? HOLISTIC was a key word – both in terms of managing (and understanding) the causes of the flood itself and in terms of managing (and understanding) the recovery… Physical science Vs social science? No! How exceptional is exceptional in terms of rainfall – and how can we be sure? Does anyone understand how the rivers and reservoirs operate as an integrated system? (And, if not, isn’t it about time we found out?) Questions around the management of Thirlmere – water source Vs flood risk management uses And then at the very local level – how has the relationship between rainfall, flooding and the built environment changed in recent years – and what effect has this had on the problem of flooding? The effects of dredging on the river system (and why this is)

Warning and response issues Weather forecasts too “dumbed down”! Need for flood warnings to be more specific to character of the event (a Beaufort scale, perhaps?) Response and recovery shouldn’t be separate –one-stop shop flood support centres are great but they need to be set up during the response… Soup kitchens also excellent! Information remains a problem – role of gossip and different things being told to different people. Communication is a 2- way process…

The Repairs Private renters are vulnerable – lack of control plus landlords doing cosmetic repairs only The tradesmen: What qualifications and experience do insurance companies require of the companies/individuals to whom they delegate these responsibilities? What training/instruction are they given? On what basis are they paid? The rights of householders to question ‘expert’ judgements? The benefits of aggressive drying Vs drying naturally… Who should pay for repairs and prevention of future flooding? Need for advice – and fairness – in access to resilient repair BEFORE builders arrive

And finally… Who is responsible for flood prevention? (Should residents have to lobby? How can different agencies be held responsible for their actions?) Changes to the rateable value of the home (and problems selling in future?) A POSSIBLE CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT?! Concerns over planned development in the future How can procedures for the provision of flood defences be streamlined? Modelling etc. takes ages… HOWEVER THERE WERE SOME HIGH POINTS – ONE STOP SHOP FLOOD SUPPORT CENTRES, SOUP KITCHENS, FLAGS RESPONSE TO THE EMERGENCY, FUNDING FOR RESILIENT REPAIR ETC.