Council chiefs say £300,000 of extra funding will help prepare Stoke-on-Trent for further 'biblical' flooding events in future.

Stoke-on-Trent can expect a repeat of the intense rainfall seen last autumn as a result of climate change, according to officials at Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

Council workers attended 52 flooding incidents across the city over an eight-hour period on 31 October, 19 of which were due to leaves blocking drains.

The authority is investing an extra £300,000 in gully cleansing this year – doubling the number of gully tankers – and has recruited a dedicated flood officer.

Members of the housing, regeneration and operations scrutiny committee were given a briefing on the council's response to the October floods, and the steps being taken to tackle the issue in future.

Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, infrastructure and regeneration, said the council budget for 2026/27 had increased spending in this area.

He said: "It was a very bad night, it caused a lot of fear and worry. There were 52 reported flooding and surface water incidents.

"In the budget we set aside an additional half a million pounds investment this year for expanding the drain cleansing programme. We know that the situation we face is incredibly difficult, with around 44,000 gullies across the city to be maintained, and only two crews.

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"I was relived that less than 10 per cent of the reported flooding incidents were the result of blocked gullies, but it is still a matter of concern to us and the residents. So it's important that we get additional resource there."

Councillor Chris Robinson, cabinet member for housing, added: "I think we need to understand that on that night we had biblical rainfall – I don't think I've seen rain like that.

"I was here at the council at the time and I went into Stoke town centre to catch the bus and I've never seen it like that with so much water. Whether we get another case of that I don't know, but I think these things we've brought forward will help."

Committee member Adrian Knapper welcomed the extra funding, and called for proactive work to reduce the impact of climate change-linked storms in future.

He said: "It's good to see money going into this from the budget. Because of the climate change catastrophe I think this is something that will re-occur – it won't just be a one-off event.

"I think those 19 areas where there were leaf blockages should be hot spot areas to inspect in the autumn to make sure they're clear. We don't want a repeat of the flooding every October."

Councillor Dave Evans called for closer working with the Environment Agency to prevent long-standing problems with flooding in Norton Green.

Carol Gibbs, corporate director for housing, regeneration and operations, told the committee that the council is aiming to improve its flood resilience. She said: "We now have a local flood officer – it was split between several roles previously.

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"I suspect this won't be a one-off, climate change suggests that it won't be so we need to be better prepared. Building relations with Severn Trent and the Environment Agency will be the new officer's responsibility."

Ms Gibbs said the council would be able to clear out gullies at least once every two years, depending on the flood risk. She admitted that this is still not enough, but is 'far better' than what was done previously.

Ms Gibbs added the extra resource would also allow the council to carry out more dredging of brooks across the city. But Councillor Dan Jellyman said that when he had raised the problem of flooding on Newstead Brook he had been told the lack of dredging was due to environmental concerns rather than lack of funding.

He said: "The council last dredged it in 2012. It causes flooding almost on a monthly basis. I've been trying to get it done since that area came into my ward in 2023. I was told that flooding is a naturally occurring event and there's nothing they can do.

"So if we are taking flooding seriously now, I look forward to the brook being dredged."

Andy Platt, ward councillor for Boothen, said residents in London Road are still waiting for the outcome of a council investigation into flash flooding in the area announced in 2020.

Cllr Platt said: "I think the people of London Road need and deserve a reply. The flood water was going into domestic properties and commercial properties. People see the marks on the footpaths ad wonder if the council are going to do it now, but nobody is telling us anything. It's really frustrating."

Officers agreed to give Cllr Platt an update on London Road, and the committee will receive a further report on flooding in the summer.

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