MP welcomes Flintshire Climate Change Committee flooding inquiry

A local MP has welcomed the decision by Flintshire County Council’s Climate Change Committee to hold an inquiry into flooding in the county.

Mark Tami has been calling for such an inquiry for some months, and in October, asked residents of Sandycroft, Pentre and Mancot to write to the chair of the climate committee to press for one.

The inquiry will look at issues across Flintshire, with a special focus on the Pentre area which has been badly affected in recent years.

The Labour MP said “This is a step closer to getting the issues in Sandycroft, Mancot and Pentre fixed, and I am glad that Flintshire’s climate committee has agreed with me about the necessity of holding this inquiry.

“For its part, Flintshire Council has been quick and effective at carrying out the work it is responsible for in Sandycroft, as has Welsh Water.”

“I am deeply concerned that Natural Resources Wales have not completed the work on their systems, which means homes are still at risk.”

“This inquiry should give residents’ voices a chance to be heard, and to put pressure on Natural Resources Wales to do the right thing, like Flintshire and Welsh Water, and finish the job.”

The Chair of Committee holding the inquiry, Cllr Alasdair Ibbotson (Labour, Penyffordd), said “The climate change committee takes tackling Flintshire’s carbon emissions seriously. We must reduce the damage we are doing to our own planet.

“But even if all carbon emissions around the world stopped today, we would still see increased flood risk in Flintshire because of the human-caused climate catastrophe we have already created.

“This inquiry will look at what the council can do to help prepare our communities to cope with the effects of climate breakdown, which are already being felt in Flintshire, and what outside help is needed, such as Welsh Government investment in better drainage.

“Mark Tami’s backing for this has been key in seeing the inquiry happen and I know he will continue to work for local residents on this vital issue.”

Cllr David Coggins Cogan (Lib Dem, Gwernaffield and Gwernymynydd) also welcomed the inquiry. “It’s essential that we look seriously at the issues facing Flintshire as runaway global heating hits us locally.”

“Liberal Democrats will always back measures to address this, and I am glad to have been able to join cross-party support from Labour and Independent councillors to get this inquiry started”.