Preparations have been made in Kirklees as borough braces itself for Storm Dennis

With Kirklees still recovering following the flooding and disruption brought by Storm Ciara, emergency preparations are now in place for Storm Dennis which is expected to bring heavy rainfall and high winds to the borough from February 15.

A major incident has been declared and an emergency centre will once again be set-up, consisting of Kirklees Council staff and emergency services.

The council will once again be part of a large team of people working together to keep everyone in Kirklees as safe as possible.

Kirklees Council is expecting to receive a high number of calls and has brought in additional support to deal with them again over the weekend. Please only get in contact if you are facing an emergency.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Shabir Pandor, said: “In extreme cases like this all of the resource we have goes into ensuring people are safe – with our priority always the most vulnerable in the borough.

“As a council our key role in emergencies like this is to do everything we can to make sure our hardworking emergency services can get to where they need to be, so vulnerable people get the help they need.

“My message to our residents is to do everything you can to prepare, especially if you’re in an area prone to flooding. Please do not travel unless absolutely necessary.

“Our staff will be out in our communities doing everything they can but with the volumes of rain we’ve had, combined with what’s expected, we have to focus on the worst affected areas that pose the greatest risk to safety.”

Kirklees Council is making funding available to help those who need to repair their properties following the extreme weather conditions.

Details of this scheme and the application process will be available in the next few days, and further publicity will follow. A free bulky waste collection service is also being offered, to help people affected.

The Severe Weather Emergency Protocol has been activated, offering rough sleepers a warm bed for the night. Everyone who takes up this offer will also be visited by a housing officer with a view to receiving longer-term help.