THERE have been calls for the scrapping of the Caldicot and Wentlooge Drainage Board in favour of a regional South Wales drainage body.
This was in the wake of the discovery of the inappropriate use of the board’s funds.
I would not defend Caldicot and Wentlooge on the basis of its previous use of funds, but would say that the board has a degree of local knowledge and expertise that a regional body won’t have.
The Gwent Levels are in the front line of flood risk and deserve priority funding over areas which are less at risk that a regional body will need to include in its budget and prioritisation. We have just seen what a storm surge has done to New York and should be mindful that 15 per cent of Newport is at flood risk. Scrapping the Caldicot and Wentlooge Drainage Board is throwing the baby out with the bath water. We should think again about our local rather than regional flood defences, as one day, an awful lot of the bath water might be heading back our way.
Charles Ferris, Fields Park Avenue, Newport
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