Victims traumatised by Storm Babet fear their wrecked properties could become a “thieves’ paradise” as vandals target Brechin houses.
As Angus councillors advanced the town’s recovery, more than a year on from the catastrophic events of October 2023, it has been claimed empty houses are being stripped of items such as metal water tanks to sell for scrap.
Dozens of houses still lie empty in the worst-hit area of River Street.
Their future is to be part of an Angus Council consultation on options ranging from remodelling to demolition.
It includes the estimated £17 million price tag of reinstating all of the damaged council homes.
Brechin folk will also be asked about possible measures to hold back future storm waters.
Those include raising the height of the town’s £16m flood defence wall, or reducing the gravel bank in the South Esk to river level.
The Brechin recovery report was discussed at a full Angus Council meeting on Thursday.
And it brought the dreadful news people who have eventually been able to return to their homes are now living with a new fear.
Vandals target Brechin houses
Properties still empty around the Meikle Mill and River Street areas have become a magnet for trouble.
Brechin councillor Jill Scott said: “Residents are afraid. They hear windows smashing and doors being kicked in.
“But they have also taken out whole windows, presumably to steal things which might be of scrap value.
“The place looks awful, it really does. The level of vandalism is shocking.”
She has spoken to local police in a bid to ensure attention is focused on the area.
“We could put metal shutters on them to keep people out, but that would make the houses look like they are ready to be knocked down.
“This is such a difficult and complicated situation.
“There is a lot of fear because we are talking about options like demolishing houses which families have stayed in for most of their life.
“And this is making it worse. I would beg whoever is doing this to stop.
“People need to speak to their children as well, because if kids are going into these houses it’s dangerous.”
One resident said: “We’re back home, but it’s just us and another couple nearby.
“There’s still a lot of problems. We hear folk out there at night but you just have to try and shut yourself off.
No ‘shopping list’ yet for Brechin recovery measures
Meanwhile, a call has been made for pressure to be put on the Scottish Government to help Brechin.
Council opposition leader Derek Wann said: “We didn’t hear from the SNP Government for weeks after the event.
“Now, Angus Council press office released a statement from Councillor [Council leader Bill] Duff saying the council is ‘identifying what is actually achievable, affordable’.
“Rather than putting a plate of gruel before the people of Brechin and surrounding communities, why is the leader not shouting in Cosla for the money that [Former First Minister] Humza Yousaf promised?
“It has been a long time coming to get to this stage and…we can see that millions of pounds will be needed.”
Mr Duff said: “There has been a huge trauma.
“I’m proud of the way the council has treated the situation.
“The consultation so far hasn’t been particularly extensive. That’s why we want to move towards a full consultation with the people of Brechin.
And he said that would inform the future conversation with Holyrood around cash help.
“We don’t know what we want to do, so we can’t put a price together. And we can’t ask the government until we have a shopping list.
“It is complex and we need to get it right,” he said.
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