Flooded homes in Wales offered council tax discount

Flooded households in Wales will be able to claim a council tax discount as part of an emergency support scheme.

The Welsh Government has announced more than £2.5 million in funding has been made available after Storm Claudia hit the UK on Friday.

Severe conditions resulted in a major incident being declared in Monmouth, South Wales, with dozens rescued from their homes or evacuated after the River Monnow burst its banks.

The Welsh Government has confirmed financial support will be provided to people living in Monmouthshire, including discretionary council tax reductions for households impacted by flooding.

There will also be grants of £1,000 and £500 available per home hit by flooding, which can be claimed via Monmouthshire County Council.

Jayne Bryant, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government said: “Monmouthshire Council’s response has been immense in supporting the needs of the community following Storm Claudia.

“I am pleased to be able to confirm today that the Welsh Government will provide financial support for Monmouthshire following these exceptional events.

“This funding will support costs with everything from evacuating people and supplying food to removing household waste and the hire of additional vehicles and machinery.

“We will also support the costs of the council in giving discretionary council tax reductions for those who were flooded.

“Finally, our thoughts are also with businesses in the centre of Monmouth who have been hard hit.

“We will also fund the council in providing discretionary reductions in non-domestic rates for affected properties.”

Mary Ann Brocklesby, Monmouthshire County Council leader, said: “The council continues to engage with impacted businesses and residents to fully understand the needs arising from this flooding.

“Following ongoing discussions with Welsh Government ministers, we are developing a scheme for council tax relief for residents, non-domestic rates relief for businesses, and grants to help compensate for costs incurred due to the floods.

“Further details on this financial support will be provided by the end of the week.”

Following the flooding in Monmouth, all town car parks will be free until the end of December.

Addressing the Welsh Parliament on Tuesday, Climate Change Secretary Huw Irranca-Davies said current indications suggest “hundreds” of homes and businesses have been flooded across the county of Monmouthshire.

“Seeing the devastation first-hand is deeply sobering, and the impact on families and businesses will stay with me for many, many years to come,” he added.

He said homes and businesses had also been flooded in Caerphilly, Cardiff, Denbighshire, Newport, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen, and the Vale of Glamorgan, with the full scale of the impact “yet to be determined”.