At this month’s full council meeting, Cllr. Tim Thomas (Ind, St Bride’s Minor & Ynysawdre) asked about flood-related maintenance.
After paying tribute to Bridgend Council’s drainage team for their work during recent horrible weather, Cllr. Thomas told the chamber that parts of his ward faced concerning flooding before Christmas.
Cllr. Thomas was told that to prevent flooding, selected culvert grids were inspected monthly, as well as when Met Office storm warnings are issued.
However, from his experience large private landowners in the area – particularly the Crown Estate – have neglected to maintain their culverts for decades or more.
Cllr. Simon Griffiths (Lab, Brackla East & Coychurch) followed up by asking whether the county’s storm response could be hindered by cuts proposed in the 2024-25 budget.
Clarification needed on private landowner responsibilities; no cuts to flood response budget
Cabinet Member for Communities, Cllr. John Spanswick (Lab, Brackla West Central), needed clarification on what private landowners’ obligations were.
He also confirmed there were no proposals to cut resources or staff for flood response in this coming financial year and, hopefully, no future years given the increased likelihood of flooding as a result of climate change.
Janine Nightingale, Corporate Director for Communities, clarified that BCBC is responsible for culverts only on public land and requested information from councillors regarding culvert issues on privately owned land.
The Welsh Government provides grant funding for flood maintenance work, with £1.3million spent in the county over the last three years. This ring-fenced funding has since been rolled into the council’s general settlement.
Culvert alarms have been installed in areas prone to flooding, triggering an early response. Specialist machinery has also been brought in to remove debris from culverts quickly.
