Posted on: Thursday 20 July 2023
Residents and businesses are invited to have their say on a draft six-year plan to reduce flooding in the borough.
According to data from Natural Resources Wales, one in 15 homes in Torfaen is at risk of flooding.
There have been more incidents of flooding in Torfaen in recent years, including May 2014, when a freak storm hit, flooding over 190 properties in Cwmbran in less than half an hour.
Local councils work with other organisations to manage and mitigate flood risks but as the lead authority, they must produce a Local Flood Risk Management Strategy (LFRMS).
Your views on Torfaen Council’s draft LFRMS will shape how the authority prevents and deals with the threat of flooding, including how much people understand about the risks.
Councillor Mandy Owen, Executive Member for the Environment, said: “Extreme weather events caused by climate change will make the risk of flooding to properties a more frequent occurrence.
“This is why we need a robust plan in place to reduce the likelihood and impact of flooding if it does occur.
“This plan will affect everyone in the borough, residents and businesses, so I strongly encourage everyone to actively engage and provide their insights on how we can best manage flooding in Torfaen,"
The aim of the plan is to:
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Improve our understanding of public knowledge of flooding, and how we communicate about flooding to the public
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Strengthen preparedness of flooding and build resilience within our community
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Prioritise investments in the protection of those most vulnerable to flooding
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Prevent additional individuals from being exposed to flood hazards.
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Establish an effective and sustainable response mechanism for future flooding events.
To leave your views and comments on the six-year draft strategy visit the Council’s Get Involved website.