Commenting on this afternoon’s Welsh Government update on Storm Dennis and its Emergency Flood Summit, speaking outside the Senedd chamber, Shadow Minister for Environment, Andrew RT Davies AM said:

“The scenes across South Wales have been truly devastating, and my thoughts and sympathies remain with those who have been badly affected over past couple of weeks.

“With the post-mortem underway, the Welsh Labour Government’s continued failure to publish a flood risk management strategy must be rectified as soon as possible so the most up-to-date defences and coastal risk management activities are implemented to protect communities across Wales.

“The Welsh Government and UK Government must also continue its joint approach to securing the safety of the thousands of coal tips that lie across South Wales, following the landslip we witnessed last week in Tylorstown.

“And finally, serious reconsideration must be afforded to the flatline budget given to Natural Resources Wales.

“As the Minister herself has previously conceded, Welsh Government budget decisions are impacting directly on the ability of NRW to deliver services and take on new duties, and this real-terms cut must be revisited, especially in light of the dramatic floods and the Welsh Government’s declaration last year of a climate emergency.”