February 25, 2020 - 1487 views
A spat between a local Welsh Assembly member and Wales' Environment Minister has raised eyebrows locally and also in the Senedd.
In response to a question by Aberconwy member Janet Finch-Saunders, over recent local flooding, fellow Assembly Member Lesley Griffith refused to answer objecting to the 'tone' of the question and saying that Finch-Saunders was 'not worthy of answer'. Interuptions were made throughout from members in the chamber.
This is a transcript of the exchange:
JFS: During storm Ciara, around 10 properties in Betws-y-Coed and 60 in Llanrwst were flooded out, on 9 February. We then had storm Dennis, and I've got to be honest, it was the community rallying around that stopped further devastation there, and the emergency services. But again, this weekend, we saw roads cut off and Llanrwst feeling almost isolated.
Now, you will be aware, Minister, that on 11 February I did ask you what funding would be available to the local authority and residents to assist with the clean up, and I also wrote to the Minister for Finance for emergency financial support on 14 February. Yet, it took the First Minister until 18 February to announce the creation of an emergency funding relief scheme. And it was only yesterday that you could actually access that. Forms were only available yesterday.
So, you can understand that my residents in Aberconwy feel very frustrated that the First Minister seemed—and I will say seemed, or appeared—to choose to wait until after storm Dennis to take any action. For my—[Interruption.] So, why were the forms only available yesterday? For my constituents, that means they have been waiting over 15 days for any emergency financial assistance. For some without insurance, that is over two weeks without even being able to start to tackle—[Interruption.] You can shout all you want, it's exactly right what's happened.
Only non-chemical cleans have been undertaken on some flooded estates. I've still got children in my constituency having to live upstairs because their homes have just had a jet wash, yet there was sewage mud running through those homes. At least three businesses without insurance have now ceased trading, and others continue to fight for their future. Many constituents have been desperately trying to get hold of any promised financial support.
The community response to their plea, though, has been exceptional. Many of us have been making an effort to be on hand, to help where we can, be that through making representation to the local authority—. And I have to give credit to Conwy County Borough Council for their immense efforts during storm Dennis, to ensure that those already affected weren't affected yet again.
Whilst I am grateful for the fact that all households affected by flooding throughout Wales will technically receive £500, possibly £1,000, for those without house insurance it's just a mere drop in the ocean. I had a resident on the phone to me yesterday, she's lost her business, her home, and her car. She has nothing left, as we speak today.
So, Minister, why did it take until after storm Dennis for the First Minister to announce financial support to individuals affected by storm Ciara? Can consideration be given to increasing the amount of financial support available in exceptional circumstances? What emergency support will be available to our flood-hit farms, which saw losses of livestock? No mention of that in your statement. And will money be available to help undo damage to our listed, precious, historical buildings? And you know where I'm going with this: Gwydir castle and gardens. The unfairness caused to them is immense.
It is well known that I want to see an independent inquiry into flood mitigation measures in Aberconwy, because we were flooded out in December 2015, March last year, storm Ciara, and more effects from storm Dennis. Your Welsh Government—. You said in your question response to me, 'No further reviews'. People in Llanrwst feel that you are not interested, Minister. [Interruption.] I've asked four questions.
I now ask: will you work with Natural Resources Wales to reassess previously proposed and rejected options? And I endorse what Mandy Jones has said over there: people believe that the river Conwy, now recording at its highest levels, should actually have an implemented flood risk mitigation scheme in terms of dredging, or some form of support for that river. Thank you.
LG: I really object to Janet Finch-Saunders's tone. I was in Llanrwst on 13 February—[Interruption.] Do you want to listen or not? Do you want to listen? I really object. I was in Llanrwst on 13 February, visiting houses in your constituency, and I spoke to many of the residents. Not one of them took the tone that you did—not one of them. So, I will tell you why it takes several days—and that's all it's been, several days—to set up—[Interruption.]...
I'll tell you why it takes several days to set up a scheme: it's public money. And that public money has to be accounted for. It has to be audited. You have to have a mechanism to be able to deliver that funding. Do you want to listen or not? So, every house that's had internal flooding—. You can smirk, Janet Finch-Saunders; I'm not even going to look at you, because you—. In fact, Deputy Presiding Officer, I don't think she's worthy of an answer.
The exchange ceased as the Deputy Presiding Officer Ann Jones AM took a question from Cynon Valley member Vikki Howells.
