North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has today questioned the First Minister over the allocation of sandbags to older and vulnerable residents in flooding black spots, including Broughton and Bretton in Flintshire.
Speaking in this afternoon’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, Mr Isherwood referred to the Broughton residents who were flooded in 2021 and raised complaints that some vulnerable residents were overlooked when sandbags were distributed following Storm Babet in October 2023.
Asking the First Minister, Vaughan Gething what action is being taken to address this, he said:
“After I intervened on behalf of flooded residents in Broughton, Flintshire, in 2021, Flintshire County Council detailed the actions they would take, including that priority would be given to elderly and vulnerable residents and known flooding black spots.
“After Storm Babet last October, a constituent wrote ‘My parents' home in Bretton, Flintshire, near Broughton, was completely destroyed with flood water. My parents are both OAPs’.
“They added that despite ringing numerous times, no sandbags were delivered, although sandbags were delivered to the daughter of a Senior Labour County Councillor living nearby.
“This case is now with the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, and I appreciate you cannot, therefore, comment.
“But responding to me on this and other cases, the Council now stated ‘that no guarantee can be offered to residents’ and that they ‘cannot assist with all flooding incidents’. What, therefore, is the Welsh Government policy or guidance on the priority distribution of sandbags to older and vulnerable residents in flooding blackspots?”
In his response, the First Minister told Mr Isherwood “these are matters for local authorities to resolve”.