Now is the time for leadership from the Welsh Government.

It seems that although the The Welsh Government has made £10 million immediately available Rhondda Cynon Taf have  been estimated  £180 o would be needed to meet  financial impact of the storms, 

Owen Donovan reports from yesterdays First Ministers Questions that 

The First Minister believes it’s too soon to put a figure on the costs involved, though RCT’s estimate “wasn’t unreasonable”. When turning to the recent request for UK Government flood relief, the First Minister dropped this bombshell:“Part of the reason why we are having to ask the UK Government for assistance is because, with six weeks of this financial year left, the UK Treasury wrote to us requiring us to repay to them £100 million of financial transactions capital, and £100 million of conventional capital, before the end of this financial year (April 2020). They said that they had recalculated Barnett consequentials and that that money needed to be returned to them.”– First Minister, Mark Drakeford

So I wonder instead of sending  the UK government a letter asking for additional aid , the Welsh Government should demand that the £200 million  remains in our coffers for use in mitigating the recent diaster many particularly where I lived.

Plaid Cymru's  leader Adam Price also called for Troops to be drafted in to help flood-hit communities in Wales. 

He said that Welsh men and women “loyally serve” in the forces in Iraq and Afghanistan but were not sent to “help their own communities” and condemned the UK government for not deploying troops as they had done for northern England.
Speaking during FMQs Yesterdau, Adam Price questioned why flood-hit Yorkshire received on the ground support from troops but the people of Wales had not been afforded “the same level of assistance” by the UK government.
The UK Armed Forces, under the instruction of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, were drafted in to help with severe flooding in Yorkshire during July and November 2019 and again earlier this month.
Two weeks ago, areas in Wales including Pontypridd, Rhondda, Neath and Monmouth saw some of the worst flooding in decades leaving hundreds of homes and businesses underwater.
“When Yorkshire was hit with severe flooding in July, November and again this month, the UK Armed Forces were drafted in to help under the instruction of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson himself,” Adam Price said.
“Storms come and go under different names but the impact and devastation they leave behind is always the same. And whilst flood-hit Yorkshire in northern England rightfully received support from troops, the communities and the people of Wales were not afforded the same level of assistance.
“Welsh men and women loyally serve in the forces. They’re sent to fight in wars overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan but they aren’t drafted in to help their own communities during this crisis.
“Why didn’t the UK Government deploy troops to support people and communities in Wales? And why didn’t Boris Johnson summon a Cobra meeting to discuss a co-ordinated response like he did with the flooding in Yorkshire? Did the Welsh Government not press Westminster for such assistance? Will they in the future?

“Time and again Welsh communities are treated as an afterthought by the two main Westminster parties. When severe flooding hits Wales again – and there’s no doubt that it will, troops must be drafted in to help and support our communities. They shouldn’t be left behind to deal with this on their own.”
In response to Adam Price, First Minister Mark Drakeford Bd AMs the emergency services had decided not to request help because conditions were "so difficult and dangerous" the advice was that only people with specific training should be deployed..

Excuse me! Surely that's what our troops are for in peace time ?

I would much prefer to see our young men and women aiding those affected by flooding , than being sent to illegal wars in the Middle East.

What we needed in Wales during the flooding  was leadership , with the UK Prime Minister seemingly on another long Holiday and not even coming to assess the situation , it is a pity our First Minister was not more proactive in his response.

Now is the time for leadership from Mark Drakeford  not his usual "my hands are tied" response.

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