Funding For Conwy Valley Flood Defences

In this week’s Business Committee I was asked for a statement on the decision to put back the flood defence schemes for Llanrwst, Conwy and Trefriw and any other flood defence scheme that falls into that category.   Firstly let me confirm that I have taken no decision to delay any flood defence schemes in the Conwy Valley.

Since the severe flooding which affected the Conwy Valley catchment in 2004 and 2005 the local authority, Conwy County Borough Council, and the Environment Agency have worked closely with residents and the communities to address the problems in the valley and much has been achieved.  Damage to flood defences caused during the event were repaired as a matter of urgency in the aftermath of the floods and the flood defence network was quickly returned to its pre-event condition.  Works to alleviate flooding from some tributaries of the River Conwy have been completed by the local authority and further works are planned for completion by the summer of 2007.  The estimated cost of these works is in the region of £1.1m and provision has been made for the majority of this to be funded from the Welsh Assembly Government’s flood defence budgets.

In the aftermath of the flood event the Environment Agency commissioned a detailed investigation of options to provide improved flood protection standards throughout the valley and this is now complete.  A preferred scheme has been identified, the cost of which is estimated to exceed £5m.   Given its anticipated cost the Agency will require the approval of the Welsh Assembly Government before they can proceed to construction and I understand that the Agency plan to submit details to the Assembly Government early in the new year.  I look forward to receiving those proposals.

Flooding problems in the valley are extensive and the existing flood defence network is complex.   Many of the options considered by the Agency as a means of resolving these problems have involved increasing flooding to agricultural land in order to improve flood protection standards for residential areas.  As you can imagine developing and progressing such solutions involves sensitive negotiations with affected landowners and such negotiations can not be achieved overnight. It was always envisaged that subject to a feasible scheme being identified construction would commence no earlier than 2007/08.

As part of the new flood defence arrangements for Wales which were introduced on 1st April 2006, the Welsh Assembly Government now provide the majority of funding for the Agency’s flood defence activities across Wales.  It is however for the Agency to determine its priorities.   The Welsh Assembly Government has allocated approximately £26m to the Agency to fund its flood defence activities in Wales during the current year and the indicative budget for next financial year is approximately £27.5m.  Subject to confirmation of the Welsh Assembly Government’s budgets and receipt of appropriate approvals the Agency has programmed the start of construction for the Conwy Valley scheme for the autumn of 2007.