Welsh Rural Affairs secretary to announce £4m grant funding for flood schemes

Environment and Rural Affairs Secretary, Lesley Griffiths
Environment and Rural Affairs Secretary, Lesley Griffiths

The Rural Affairs secretary, Lesley Griffiths, will today announce almost £4 million grant funding for flood alleviation schemes across Wales.

Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, will visit Tal-y-bont, Gwynedd today to announce the funding, including almost £1 million funding to protect the village of Tal-y-bont and the A55.

The Welsh Government grant funding will be provided to local authorities to support small scale flood risk management schemes and undertake repairs to existing flood risk management infrastructure, damaged as a result of flooding in December 2015.

The funding includes almost £985,000 for Gwynedd Council for a flood alleviation scheme to protect Tal-y-bont and the nearby A55, an area particularly affected by last winter’s storms.

The funding will go towards creating an overflow drainage system, as well as earth bunds, ditches and channels, which will take flood water directly into the nearby Afon Ogwen.

It will also fund improvements to the existing watercourse to reduce potential blockages.

During the Cabinet Secretary’s visit to Tal-y-Bont she will see the work already underway. This is expected to be completed this Autumn.

'An important issue for Wales'

Speaking ahead of the visit, Lesley Griffiths said: "Flooding is an important issue for Wales and one which we take very seriously.

"While last winter saw unprecedented levels of rainfall, particularly in North Wales, our changing climate means it is likely such weather events will happen more frequently.

"It is vitally important we are able to cope with this, which is why we are committed to investing in flood risk management across Wales.

"I am pleased we have been able to support the community of Tal-y-Bont following the damaging effects of the winter’s storms and take action quickly to get work underway to better protect the community and the important A55 road ahead of this winter."

As part of the funding, the Welsh Government is also providing almost £3 million for local authorities for small scale maintenance and repair schemes.

This includes repairs and upgrades of culverts, retaining walls, watercourses and drainage schemes to ensure resilient flood defences. The following will receive a share of the funding:

• Blaenau Gwent,

• Caerphilly,

• Conwy,

• Flintshire, Gwynedd,

• Anglesey,

• Monmouthshire,

• Neath Port Talbot,

• Pembrokeshire,

• Powys,

• Rhondda Cynon Taf,

• Swansea

• Wrexhambullet point