7. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the flood risk of the river Tawe? OAQ(5)0137(ERA)

Thank you. Natural Resources Wales are responsible for assessing risk of flooding from rivers and the sea. The local flood risk management plan further sets out how risk will be managed. A £7 million flood-risk management scheme was completed in 2015, significantly reducing risk to the lower Swansea vale.

Can I highlight the huge success of the floodplain at Ynys Forgan, which is probably about a quarter of a mile from where I live? I quite often drive past it and sometimes you’ve got a lake, other times you’ve got a few little lakes, and other times it’s dry, but it does stop flooding in that area, which used to be a huge problem.

Can I also welcome the proposal to not charge landfill tax on dredged materials from rivers in the current Land Disposals Tax (Wales) Bill, which is making its way through? Having seen the great success of the floodplain on the River Tawe—we’re always willing, in Swansea, to export successes—are there any plans to create floodplains like that on other rivers to stop houses and businesses getting flooded?

Yes, I’m very pleased that my colleague the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government was able to bring forward a Government amendment at Stage 2 of the Landfill Disposals Tax (Wales) Bill to ensure a relief from the tax is available to material removed from the water in the interests of flood prevention. I think that was a very important amendment.

Certainly, you’ll be aware of the significant funding we are putting into flood prevention, so, again, it’s always very good to share best practice. I think what our national strategy for flood and coastal erosion risk management in Wales does is promote natural flood-risk management, and that work is eligible for grant funding. I think it’s really important that we strengthen that message to risk-management authorities in the refresh of the national strategy.

I acknowledge the work that was done in Ynys Forgan, really. That’s about 300 homes that were protected there. Yet, in recent years, we’ve also seen new building on sites on seemingly low-level ground close to the river. Conversely, in my previous work, I recall having to repeatedly explain to lenders that, while their environmental searches revealed that properties were being built in floodplain areas, it wasn’t the case—they were usually several metres higher than the environmental floodplain risk maps revealed, and it would’ve taken a tsunami, actually, to have taken most of them out. How often are these floodplain plans reassessed? I ask not just because desktop studies can often miss local geography, if you like, but also because overdevelopment in a particular area can affect the water table and water run-off, and that’s particularly important in places like Swansea, where we’re looking at 20,000 new homes, as well as the associated infrastructure.

I think Suzy Davies raises a very important point. I will have to write to you as to the frequency as to how often flood plans are reassessed.

Clearly, flood alerts are active in the lower Swansea valley, but there’s also a lot of new building, as has been alluded to. So, can I ask what action are you taking in conjunction with Natural Resources Wales and the local authority in terms of raising flood awareness and associated actions for residents during flood incidents, particularly to those new homeowners who move into this particular area?

I know that’s something that planning officials are working on with the local authorities, and obviously NRW are part of that campaign. It’s very important that all these issues are taken into account, and I’m constantly looking at the planning policies to make sure local authorities have the correct guidance at hand.