Mid and West Wales MS Jane Dodds calls on Welsh Government to protect businesses from floods

Today (23^rd January 2024) in the Senedd, the Mid and West Wales MS Jane Dodds has called on the Welsh Government to step in and help protect local businesses from flooding.

The Lizzie’s Barn Sanctuary, a small family-run dog rescue centre, has faced steadily worsening flooding over recent years, with 43 flood events on her property last year alone.

Jane Dodds MS has now urged the Welsh Government to step in and ensure that residents whose properties are at risk of flooding.

Commenting, Mid and West Wales MS Jane Dodds said:

“This recent winter has seen Wales being battered by what seems to be a constant barrage of storms, with the most recent Storm Isha causing extensive flooding across the country.

Flooding is indiscriminate in who it targets and without funding being made available to help prevent flood events, we are at risk of seeing thousands of people losing their properties as the weather inevitably worsens.

One of these people at risk of losing their property to flooding is a constituent of mine who runs the Lizzie’s Barn Sanctuary, a dog rescue centre that has faced steadily worsening flooding over recent years.

The worsening flooding conditions have inevitably put the lives of the most vulnerable dogs at risk, forcing hazardous boat evacuations that have no doubt added further stress on the family-orientated team at the sanctuary.

The owner of the sanctuary told me how she feels utterly neglected and shocked that her persistent flood-prone property has not warranted any form of protective measures or compensation from the relevant authorities.

As the climate crisis worsens, extreme weather patterns will become increasingly more frequent and with that flooding will turn into almost a regular occurrence for many.

By taking steps to ensure that there exists a robust framework for Risk Management Authorities, one which outlines their responsibilities and helps empower residents to push for the actions needed to safeguard their homes and livelihoods, we can ensure that at-risk properties are kept safe and dry.

We cannot afford to react to flooding in the same old manner we have always done, we must be proactive and prepared.”