Meetings
NDM7278 Plaid Cymru Debate - Adverse Weather and Storm Damage
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Meeting: 26/02/2020 - Plenary - Fifth Senedd (Item 7)
Plaid Cymru Debate - Adverse Weather and Storm Damage
NDM7278 Sian
Gwenllian (Arfon)
To propose that the National Assembly for
Wales:
1. Notes the damage and devastation caused to
communities across Wales as a result of Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis.
2. Pays tribute to the heroic efforts of
public service workers and community volunteers in responding to the effects of
adverse weather and storm damage in recent weeks.
3. Recognises that climate change will make
adverse weather occurrences, including instances of serious flooding, more
likely in future.
4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a) initiate a full independent inquiry into
the causes of recent flooding, in addition to conducting a review of the
sufficiency of its overall adverse weather prevention plans;
b) ensure that additional support is made
available to those experiencing psychological trauma as a result of the recent
devastation, especially children;
c) ensure that the hardship fund for those
individuals affected by adverse weather and storm damage ensures parity for
businesses and homeowners, especially those without insurance;
d) clarify the status of grant support
available for land reclamation;
e) explore the possibility of introducing a
low cost social insurance scheme with the aim of ensuring affordable property
insurance cover everywhere in Wales;
f) request a comprehensive assessment from
the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales of the measures that would be
required to reduce the annual risk of flooding in Wales to 1 per cent, 0.5 per
cent and 0.1 per cent and to increase expenditure to this end.
The following amendments have been tabled:
Amendment 1 - Darren
Millar (Clwyd West)
In point 2, after ‘efforts of’ insert ‘the
emergency services, agency staff,’.
Amendment 2 - Rebecca
Evans (Gower)
Delete point 4 and replace with:
Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a) ensure that the investigations being
carried out into the cause of flooding are published and subject to scrutiny
from affected communities, the Senedd and independent authorities, including
the Flood and Coastal Erosion Committee;
b) make additional financial and practical
support available to individuals and businesses affected by the flooding;
c) make additional funding available for
local authorities to conduct emergency repairs of flood defences and other
critical infrastructure;
d) publish new planning policy and flood
maps this year to take a stronger stance on development in the flood plain and
reflect the growing risks from climate change;
e) publish a new Flood Risk Assessment for
Wales alongside a new Flood and Coastal Strategy this year and use this to
prioritise flood defence schemes that protect the communities at highest risk
of flooding from all sources – coastal, river and surface water;
f) increase financial and practical support
to local authorities to accelerate the development of new flood defence
schemes.
[If Amendment 2 is agreed amendment 3 will
be de-selected]
Amendment 3 - Darren
Millar (Clwyd West)
In point 4, insert as new sub-point after
sub-point (c) and renumber accordingly:
'establish a rates relief scheme to help
businesses recover following a flooding event;'
Amendment 4 - Darren
Millar (Clwyd West)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Further calls on the Welsh Government to
work with stakeholders to ensure that local communities and businesses are
provided with continuing support beyond the initial clean-up operation to help
them recover in the long-term, and to understand the actions required to
mitigate future flooding events.
Amendment 5 - Darren
Millar (Clwyd West)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Further calls on the Welsh Government to
update planning guidelines by establishing ‘Blue Belts’ in areas of flood risk,
such as natural flood plains, to prevent inappropriate development and to
reduce the risk of damage to homes and businesses.
Minutes:
The
item started at 16.46
Voting
on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time.
A
vote was taken on the motion without amendment:
NDM7278 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)
To
propose that the National Assembly for Wales:
1.
Notes the damage and devastation caused to communities across Wales as a result
of Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis.
2.
Pays tribute to the heroic efforts of public service workers and community
volunteers in responding to the effects of adverse weather and storm damage in
recent weeks.
3.
Recognises that climate change will make adverse weather occurrences, including
instances of serious flooding, more likely in future.
4.
Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a)
initiate a full independent inquiry into the causes of recent flooding, in
addition to conducting a review of the sufficiency of its overall adverse
weather prevention plans;
b)
ensure that additional support is made available to those experiencing
psychological trauma as a result of the recent devastation, especially
children;
c)
ensure that the hardship fund for those individuals affected by adverse weather
and storm damage ensures parity for businesses and homeowners, especially those
without insurance;
d)
clarify the status of grant support available for land reclamation;
e)
explore the possibility of introducing a low cost social insurance scheme with
the aim of ensuring affordable property insurance cover everywhere in Wales;
f)
request a comprehensive assessment from the National Infrastructure Commission
for Wales of the measures that would be required to reduce the annual risk of
flooding in Wales to 1 per cent, 0.5 per cent and 0.1 per cent and to increase
expenditure to this end.
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
20 |
3 |
28 |
51 |
The motion without amendment was not
agreed.
The
following amendments were tabled:
Amendment
1 - Darren Millar (Clwyd West)
In
point 2, after ‘efforts of’ insert ‘the emergency services, agency staff,’.
A
vote was taken on amendment 1:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
49 |
2 |
0 |
51 |
Amendment 1 was agreed.
Amendment
2 - Rebecca Evans (Gower)
Delete
point 4 and replace with:
Calls
on the Welsh Government to:
a)
ensure that the investigations being carried out into the cause of flooding are
published and subject to scrutiny from affected communities, the Senedd and
independent authorities, including the Flood and Coastal Erosion Committee;
b)
make additional financial and practical support available to individuals and
businesses affected by the flooding;
c)
make additional funding available for local authorities to conduct emergency
repairs of flood defences and other critical infrastructure;
d)
publish new planning policy and flood maps this year to take a stronger stance
on development in the flood plain and reflect the growing risks from climate
change;
e)
publish a new Flood Risk Assessment for Wales alongside a new Flood and Coastal
Strategy this year and use this to prioritise flood defence schemes that
protect the communities at highest risk of flooding from all sources – coastal,
river and surface water;
f)
increase financial and practical support to local authorities to accelerate the
development of new flood defence schemes.
A
vote was taken on amendment 2:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
30 |
1 |
19 |
50 |
Amendment 2 was agreed.
As
Amendment 2 was agreed amendment 3 was de-selected
Amendment
4 - Darren Millar (Clwyd West)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Further calls on the Welsh Government to work with
stakeholders to ensure that local communities and businesses are provided with
continuing support beyond the initial clean-up operation to help them recover
in the long-term, and to understand the actions required to mitigate future
flooding events.
A
vote was taken on amendment 4:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
50 |
0 |
1 |
51 |
Amendment 4 was agreed.
Amendment
5 - Darren Millar (Clwyd West)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Further calls on the Welsh Government to update
planning guidelines by establishing ‘Blue Belts’ in areas of flood risk, such
as natural flood plains, to prevent inappropriate development and to reduce the
risk of damage to homes and businesses.
A
vote was taken on amendment 5:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
24 |
0 |
27 |
51 |
Amendment 5 was not agreed.
A
vote was taken on the motion as amended:
NDM7278 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)
To
propose that the National Assembly for Wales:
1.
Notes the damage and devastation caused to communities across Wales as a result
of Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis.
2.
Pays tribute to the heroic efforts of the emergency services, agency staff,
public service workers and community volunteers in responding to the effects of
adverse weather and storm damage in recent weeks.
3.
Recognises that climate change will make adverse weather occurrences, including
instances of serious flooding, more likely in future.
4.
Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a)
ensure that the investigations being carried out into the cause of flooding are
published and subject to scrutiny from affected communities, the Senedd and
independent authorities, including the Flood and Coastal Erosion Committee;
b)
make additional financial and practical support available to individuals and
businesses affected by the flooding;
c)
make additional funding available for local authorities to conduct emergency
repairs of flood defences and other critical infrastructure;
d)
publish new planning policy and flood maps this year to take a stronger stance
on development in the flood plain and reflect the growing risks from climate
change;
e)
publish a new Flood Risk Assessment for Wales alongside a new Flood and Coastal
Strategy this year and use this to prioritise flood defence schemes that
protect the communities at highest risk of flooding from all sources – coastal,
river and surface water;
f)
increase financial and practical support to local authorities to accelerate the
development of new flood defence schemes.
5. Further calls on the Welsh Government to work
with stakeholders to ensure that local communities and businesses are provided
with continuing support beyond the initial clean-up operation to help them
recover in the long-term, and to understand the actions required to mitigate
future flooding events.
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
49 |
1 |
1 |
51 |
The motion as amended was agreed.