PEMBROKE County Councillors are calling for an urgent review following increasingly severe flooding in the town and the surrounding area over recent weeks.

Aaron Carey County Councillor for Pembroke Monkton and St Mary South and Jonathan Grimes - County Councillor for Pembroke St Mary South and Monkton, have submitted, as a matter of urgency, the following Notice of Motion and Question to the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council (Friday 12):

The Notice of Motion reads:

“1. That this Council notes with concern the repeated and increasingly severe flooding experienced in our coastal, estuarial and river-fringe communities over recent weeks — in particular the flooding events affecting the Commons / Castle Pond area.

2. That the Council further notes that, according to correspondence from the Coastal, Rivers & Drainage Team Manager, the tipping gate at the barrage remains out of operation until mid-January due to mechanical issues; meanwhile high tide, heavy rain, wind-driven tidal surges and overspill at the sluice have combined to overwhelm the drainage/outfall infrastructure.

3. That we recognise the current maintenance schedule (delayed till after the summer season) and the justification given — but further that such planning failed to foresee the likelihood of severe winter storm and surge events, which climate change makes more frequent and more intense.

4. That this Council therefore calls on the Cabinet to commission an urgent review of:

• the adequacy of the current drainage/outfall and tidal-sluice infrastructure (barrage tipping gate, sluice/sluice-valve, flap valve, outfall capacity) for current and projected climate/tide conditions;

• the maintenance scheduling policy for coastal and estuarial flood-risk assets, with a view to ensuring critical maintenance is completed before winter high-tide / storm-surge season, rather than — as at present — being delayed until after summer for “recreational / biodiversity” reasons.

5. That, pending the outcome of the review, the Council should allocate appropriate emergency capital funding to remediate the barrages / sluices / outfalls at risk of failure or blockage — to safeguard residents, properties, highways and public amenities from further flooding.

6. That, further, this Council resolves to publish a public flood-resilience plan for the County, identifying all coastal and river-fringe “hotspots”, maintenance schedules, responsible teams, and a transparent timeline for upgrades or remedial works — so residents have clarity and confidence in flood prevention measures.”

The councillors also submitted a Question for Cabinet Member Cllr Rhys Sinnett:

“In light of the repeated flooding events across the county - including the recent overflow at Castle Pond and the acknowledgement by your own Coastal, Rivers & Drainage Team that the barrage tipping gate remains inoperable until mid-January - can you explain what assessment has been made of the adequacy of our tidal outfall infrastructure in the face of current and projected future storm surges and sea-level rise?

If no such assessment has yet been undertaken, will you commit now to commissioning an immediate structural and risk-capacity audit, with a report to Full Council within three months, and with proposals for funding any remedial works required — to avoid recurring damage and disruption to residents, highways, and public amenities?”