Raindrops keep falling

In September 2008 many areas of Pontypridd were subject to flooding after torrential rain struck.  Blocked drains were unable to cope with the volume of water and a substantial number of households were affected.  The Council were slow to deploy sandbags and in many cases were too late.

In June 2009 many areas of Pontypridd were subject to flooding after torrential rain struck.  Blocked drains were unable to cope with the volume of water and a substantial number of households were affected.  The Council were slow to deploy sandbags and in many cases were too late.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Councillors John Bell and Mike Powell were out and about pulling up manhole covers in their wards to try and alleviate some of the problems.  Photos of John more than knee deep on water appeared on the BBC website and elsewhere. 

The Council promised to do their best to alleviate the problems.

In September 2011 areas of Pontypridd were subject to flooding after torrential rain struck.

You beginning to see a pattern here?

Yet again our Councillors were out for hours last night helping residents to keep the flood water away from their properties.  They tried in vain to get hold of sand bags from the Cocunil depot but were told they had run out.

Now nobody can prevent the rain from falling, but there have been warnings all week about the bad weather to come.  RCT Council called off a fun day planned for the weekend because of the weather.  It was expected by everyone, but not anticipated enough by the environmental services department of RCT.

The same problems occurred in the same areas.  In one case the problems had been exacerbated because the Council – against the wishes of the residents in the area and the objections from John Bell as ward Councillor – sold of a piece of land on the side of a mountain.  Work carried out there has not only disturbed the natural flow of water but also contributed to blocking the drains.

Now if the rain hadn’t been predicted then maybe you could not blame the Council.  If the flooding had occurred in new places hitherto unaffected then perhaps you could not blame the Council.    But when it happens in the same place every time then surely the highways department could be expected to have the brains to prepare and deploy sandbags where needed and ensure drains are kept clear.

Maybe if they spent less money employing poets and artists to inscribe words of wisdom on paving stones then they could buy a few more sandbags.