Councillors have called for an inquiry to investigate the response time of the Environment Agency in giving a warning to Catcliffe residents of flooding.
Storm Babet brought double the amount of monthly rainfall in a 24–26-hour period and caused the River Rother to burst its banks, submerging nearby houses.
Councillors Adam Carter and Firos Miro have submitted the motion and called for an immediate enquiry, examining why a warning was not issued by the Environment Agency for the local residents, despite it being clear that flood waters were about to breach the flood defences.
Bradley Malcolm, a victim of the Catcliffe floods, said: “It’s important to get this story out here because exposure is the best thing for this situation as we still have no answers on how it flooded and why we weren’t warned in time.”
The Labour MP Sarah Champion also said that the residents did not receive any warning before the river Rother burst its banks.
Councillors have also called for significant investment to improve the flood defences at the River Rother, despite the council investing £17 million since 2007.
An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “We know the devastating impact flooding can have and our thoughts are with all of those affected during Storm Babet.
“Flood walls at Catcliffe were inspected after the storm and found to have operated as designed.
“We continue to work with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to verify the timings around the onset of flooding and the source of the floodwater and we are carefully considering what actions can be taken to support those in Catcliffe, working alongside local MPs and the council.”
The motion has also criticised South Yorkshire Police’s continued operation of a bus gate on Woodlane, despite alternative routes out of Catcliffe and Brinsworth being impassable because of flooding.
Last week, Rotherham Council subsidised a grant of £500 to all households which were badly damaged by the flood to provide immediate support.
The residents are also exempt from paying council tax for their flooded properties from when the flooding began until March 2024.
Mr Malcolm said: “It had been a rough few days with the stress and all soon after the flood, and the council did fix our home fairly quickly, but we had to stay in hotels.”
Council Leader, Councillor Chris Read, said: “Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the flooding
“I have witnessed myself the devastation and emotional toll this has had on our residents across Rotherham, and in particular in Catcliffe.
“The heartbreak of seeing families throwing away much treasured possessions which are beyond repair after being covered in filthy flood water is hard to witness. It is these kinds of objects which can never be replaced which really hit home to me the emotional damage flooding does.