5. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the recent landslip in the Pantteg area of Ystalyfera? (OAQ51011) 

I know that a meeting was held on 22 August where Government officials joined with the Neath Port Talbot council to consider the way forward. We as a Government will consider anything that the council suggests when they make representations to us, as was agreed in that meeting, as I understand it.

Thank you for that response. Some of us participated in those meetings too. But it’s true to say that this incident, this landslip, has been quite a blow to local families, and created a great deal of uncertainty in the Ystalyfera area. As this is a very unusual event—unprecedented, in fact—will you as the Welsh Government make a public commitment today to provide additional financial assistance to Neath Port Talbot council to deal with this issue, as well as any European funds that may be open to us in dealing with this unique situation?

Of course, I can understand how the families feel as they have to face such a situation. At the meeting held in August, the agreement was that the council would come back to us with the details. That hasn’t happened as yet. Once that does happen, we can then consider the issue further.

I thank Dai Lloyd for bringing this question to you this afternoon, First Minister. There’s been a history of landslides in that particular part of my constituency. The new hazard stems from landslides arising in previously thought to be low-risk areas. You’ll understand the anxiety of the households who’ve been asked to vacate their properties, and the anxiety felt by the broader community, not least as the council reassesses the hazard in the area generally. We would welcome any support that the Welsh Government can give, both to the community and to the council, in resolving this issue, and also, perhaps, given that a number of Government portfolio interests are engaged in this, for there to be a joined-up approach in the support that the Welsh Government is able to provide.

It’s not yet clear what the nature of that support would be, which is why we look forward to receiving the representations from the council, in order for us to look at this further. But as far as the people there are concerned, I can well understand that they want to have certainty as quickly as possible. We’re keen to do that and we’ll continue to work with the council in order for that to be delivered.

Perhaps there is an area where Welsh Government can give immediate support, and it’s this: you may remember that, in the meeting that was referred to earlier, an independent report came to light that suggested that the affected area was the least likely to experience landslide or slippage, and nature defied that report. So, there may be space here for Welsh Government to be able to help Neath Port Talbot define the terms of reference for the new report that’s being commissioned, in order to establish whether the 150 homes now potentially at risk are at risk, and that’s something that’s in addition to the financial support that Dai Lloyd has suggested. So, that’s very specific support I think you can give early on.

We’re content to work with the council, of course, to see what support we can provide in terms of the commissioning of any new report. And again, we await the council’s representations in that regard.