Flooding experienced across Wales in February 2020 had a devastating and long-lasting impact on our communities. There was widespread flooding during Storm Ciara (8 – 9 February 2020), Storm Dennis (15 – 17 February 2020) and Storm Jorge (28 February to 1 March 2020). These storms led to the flooding of 3,130 properties across Wales, making this period the most significant series of flooding incidents to hit Wales since the floods of December 1979, which impacted many of the same communities.
Whilst revenue funding for Flood Risk Management and Water Revenue BEL is £41.415m, increasing by £12m from 2021-22, Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Senedd for Aberconwy and Shadow Minister for Climate Change, is calling on the Welsh Government to clarify whether they have taken into account current and projected future flood risk in local authority areas.
Commenting on finance for fighting floods in local authority areas, Janet said:
“I welcome the increase in revenue funding for Risk Management Authorities in 2022-23, but what constituents across Wales, from Caerphilly to Conwy want to know is whether the allocation is enough.
“Central to providing the clarity needed is the Welsh Government stepping forward and confirming that they did take into account current and projected future flood risk in local authority areas.
“I was a member of the inquiry into the Welsh Government’s response to the February 2020 flooding in Wales, and our report published in 2020 highlighted then that the level of revenue funding meant that authorities were a long way away from being fully prepared and resilient, and that authorities received the same level of revenue funding regardless of the flood risk within their area.
“For example, Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council whose area was one of the worst-hit by the February flooding, received 4.54% of the national revenue funding despite having an estimated 21% of the national surface water flood risk to manage.
“I backed a clear recommendation that the Welsh Government’s approach to revenue allocation for flooding should take account of current and projected future flood risk in local authority areas. Over a year later, it is shocking that clarity has not been provided as to whether revenue allocation takes account of flood risk”.
ENDS
