OUT NOW: Economic Impact Report – Boxing Day Floods 2015

At the UCVR we said we would not let up in the pursuit of long-term economic support for flood affected businesses in the Upper Valley.

We said that when the welcome, but short-term crowdfunding and social media support had dissipated, we would still be there fighting the corner for those businesses who face an uncertain economic future and or long recovery period.

The Economic Impact Report you will find on this website here is a direct result of the UCVR brokering a joint study between University of Leeds, Calderdale Council and the UCVR. It is a comprehensive report which will serve to inform the case for regeneration and recovery investment for the whole borough. As the report highlights the fact that the majority of businesses directly affected were in the Upper Calder Valley we will be lobbying for a lion’s share of any such investment.

Since Boxing Day our volunteers have put in over 600 hours to make the case for inward investment and this report will support that work over the coming months, as we continue to make efforts to keep the plight of our local economy in the media and political eye.

Our thanks go to Dr. Paola Sakai, University of Leeds. Fiona Thurlbeck, Anne Holdsworth, Luke Doran and Chris Whitaker, Business and skills team at Calderdale Council, who all played crucial roles in bringing this significant report to the Calderdale Flood Commission and other bodies reporting to Government.

We would also like to thank all those businesses affected directly, and indirectly, who took the time to complete the comprehensive survey. It was vital to have your co-operation. Our special thanks to those businesses that allowed us to include them as the ‘face behind the business’ case studies.

UCVR Business Flood Recovery Team