Revealed: How much money was spent on hotel stays for evacuated residents at flooded Northampton holiday park
Here’s how much money it has cost to provide hotel stays for residents evacuated from a flooded holiday park in Northampton, so far this year.
Thousands of residents at Billing Aquadrome have been forced to evacuate their homes three times this year — in January, February, and most recently in September — due to flooding.
Residents on-site are expected to have a separate residential address to which they can return during the month when the holiday park shuts. However, if the evacuation falls outside of this month many end up booking hotels, while those unable to afford it rely on West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) for temporary shelter.
Chronicle & Echo submitted a Freedom of Information request to WNC asking how much money has been spent on providing emergency support to evacuated Billing residents in 2024. WNC confirmed that the total amount spent this year is £37,900, all on emergency hotel accommodation.
The most recent evacuation in September, which saw 52 people and 20 dogs sheltered overnight, which led to the council spending £10,501.66 on hotels for displaced residents, averaging about £202 per person. With an average stay of five nights, this breaks down to around £40 per person, per night. No charges were incurred for using Lings Leisure Centre.
A WNC spokeswoman said: “During the recent flooding, Lings Forum was initially used as a short-term reception centre to provide immediate shelter for families affected…When it became clear that the impact would extend beyond the first couple of days, our Housing Team quickly worked to secure alternative temporary accommodation for those with an immediate housing need under housing legislation.
"These people were placed in hotels…with a gross cost for this of £10,501.66, with the average length of stay being five nights.
"Those who did not have an immediate housing need secured their own alternative accommodation.
“WNC has a responsibility to support individuals and families at risk of homelessness who may not have the means to arrange accommodation independently. While we recognise this temporary solution is not ideal, our team is actively working with the new owners of Billing Aquadrome to find ways to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.
"Given the complexity… achieving these long-term solutions will take time; however, we will continue to prioritise the wellbeing and support of families throughout this process.”