RESIDENTS of East Devon who were affected by severe floods in October and December last year are to receive news updates on the progress made by councils and other agencies dealing with the aftermath of the crisis.

RESIDENTS of East Devon who were affected by severe floods in October and December last year are to receive news updates on the progress made by councils and other agencies dealing with the aftermath of the crisis. The information will also be useful for people who escaped the 2008 flooding but whose homes or businesses could be at risk in future. The communities include Feniton, Ottery St Mary, Tipton St John, Newton Poppleford, Otterton and Budleigh Salterton.Flood Recovery Update is an A4 information sheet that is being delivered to 11,500 homes in the affected communities - in the Otter Valley and its catchment area.The newsletter will also be available in libraries and other outlets in villages. In some communities, copies will be available in association with parish newsletters.Following the dramatic storms and flooding towards the end of 2008, the East Devon Flood Recovery Group was formed.This group is a partnership of councils and other agencies with an interest in ensuring that the flood warning, defence, response and recovery arrangements in East Devon are of the highest possible quality. The group hopes to learn lessons from the events of 2008, to improve the drainage infrastructure where possible and to keep the public informed of what is happening.Representatives of Devon County Council, East Devon District Council, the Environment Agency, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, plus town and parish councils in the Otter Valley, agreed that there are six major objectives as part of a wider action plan for recovery:l to establish what had caused the floodingl to assess how agencies performed in the aftermathl to put into practice any lessons learned l to make improvements to minimise flood riskl to advise residents and businesses how to help themselvesl to keep people informed of progress through online and printed information.The first issue of the information sheet details progress so far as authorities discuss what they can do to reduce the risk of flooding. It also gives a number of important tips on how people can help themselves to find out if flooding is imminent and what to do if it happens.An electronic copy of the newsletter can also be seen by visiting EDDC's website or via Devon County Council and Environment Agency websites.