Minister questioned over funding to protect Flintshire communities from flooding

North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has questioned the Finance Minister, Rebecca Evans MS over actions she is taking to ensure funding is provided to protect Flintshire Communities affected by October’s Storm Babet from future flooding.

Last month Mr Isherwood asked the Minister why the Welsh Government has not announced any additional funding to help communities affected by flooding caused by the storm.

He also asked Lesley Griffiths MS, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales what discussions she has had with the Climate Change Minister regarding “how timely and promptly the Welsh Government will respond to bids, and the sufficiency of funding for them?”

In Wednesday’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, he raised the matter again.

He said: “Questioning you here last month on the same issue, I referred to a statement by a Flintshire County Council official at the Broughton flooding Public Meeting 11 days previously, that they would be submitting bids to the Welsh Government for works identified by the section 19 Flood Investigation they were now launching with other agencies after properties in Broughton and Bretton were again flooded.

“I asked you what prospect, given the resources you have available, that such bids—if properly drafted, worked up and evidenced—have of being successful. You replied, as you just did, that ‘that would be more a question for the Minister for Climate Change’.

“In subsequent correspondence, the Minister for Climate Change told me that her ‘officials are in regular contact with flood risk officers at Flintshire County Council to provide advice and guidance on submissions for Welsh Government funding and will consider any business cases put forward by the Local Authority. Well, given your overall Budget responsibility, what subsequent discussion have you therefore had with the Minister for Climate Change, since my question last month, regarding provision of funding within her Budget to meet these needs?”

In her response, the Minister said: “this is a matter for the Minister for Climate Change. Any funding will be coming through her own budget and through the schemes that she’s set up, which can be accessed by risk management authorities, such as local authorities and Natural Resources Wales, who are responsible for delivering the Flood Alleviation Schemes in Wales”.

Mr Isherwood added: “So, no discussions, then, despite her responsibility for the budget which the Minister for Climate Change will receive!”