Stephen Blakeman, chair of Barry Flooding and Plaid Cymru candidate for the Dyfan ward town council-by election next week, last Saturday showed European MP, Jill Evans, around parts of the town that are at risk of flooding when there is heavy rainfall.
Jill Evans, who is also Plaid Cymru’s president, was shown the works that had been completed at the bottom of Weston Hill, the potential problems that could be caused by building at White Farm and yet to be carried out work at the Buttrills playing fields which impact upon Heathfield Drive.
Stephen Blakeman is an expert on flooding matters and was nominated for the South Wales Echo Community Champion Award after the Vale of Glamorgan was awarded more than £900,000 of funding for flood prevention works.
Jill Evans MEP said:
“We have seen from recent events around the world – in Australia, Brazil and Sri Lanka – the effect that flooding can have, and many parts of Barry suffered tremendously in 2007.
“Stephen gave me a tour of the parts of Barry that were affected back then and the works that had taken place since.
Photo: Photograph shows Stephen Blakeman, Jill Evans MEP and Plaid Cymru candidate for the Vale of Glamorgan, Dr Ian Johnson, at Heathfield Drive where they are still waiting for flood prevention works to be carried out.
Mr Blakeman added:
“Flooding can destroy people’s homes and take away their memories. Politicians were very quick to turn up at the time, but once the spotlight is off then they stop paying attention.
“I was glad then that Jill Evans MEP, who sits with the European Free Alliance and Greens, was still so interested in the effects that she inspected the works that had taken place.
“With the hills and geography of Barry, flooding is an ever-present danger, but I am pleased to have been able to do so much to prevent it.”
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Photograph shows Stephen Blakeman, Jill Evans MEP and Plaid Cymru candidate for the Vale of Glamorgan, Dr Ian Johnson, at Heathfield Drive where they are still waiting for flood prevention works to be carried out.
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