Cardiff Man calls Council to do more to prevent future flooding

One in nine homes in Wales is at risk of flooding from rivers and the sea.

Whilst the Environment Agency announced plans to extend its flood warning system in Wales last week, we spoke to one man who is calling on Cardiff Council to do more to stop flooding in his area.

37-year old Anthony Cornick’s garden was damaged when Whitchurch Brook, which backs on to the house at Heol Waun Y Nant, broke its banks two weeks ago.

Flood water washed away land at the bottom of Mr Cornick’s garden, dislodging his fence and leaving a seven-foot drop.

Mr Cornick said: “I’m worried about my three children. They enjoy playing in the garden, in the Spring and Summer.

But obviously, I don’t allow them to play in the garden at the moment, with the condition it’s in.

“What I want to see is some action. I want to see the land put back, and see someone take responsibility for the land that was there. But I don’t seem to be getting any response from the local authority.”

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Flood defence projects

Cardiff Council has told Mr Cornick that he must repair the damages himself.

A Cardiff Council spokesman said: “Council officers are eager to re-open lines of communication with Mr Cornick in order to work towards a satisfactory conclusion to this issue.

“The council is attempting to find out exactly who is responsible for the piece of land in question, but while this is in progress, we must stress it is Mr Cornick’s responsibility to secure his own ground and fence.”

The council will spend will spend £451,000 on the brook as part of a European scheme supporting eight flood and coastal defence projects in the local area.

Flood Warnings

From March, the number of properties who automatically receive free flood warnings will increase from 47,000 to 90,000.

Eligible homes and businesses will be notified by post, a phone call to their landline or a text to a mobile phone.

Alan Proctor, Flood Risk Manager at Environment Agency Wales said: “Last November’s devastating events in Cockermouth remind us that the dangers of flooding and how being prepared is crucial.”

“We urge everyone to check whether their property is at risk and taking steps to prepare, such as looking at ways to make properties more resistant to floods.”

Dementia Research lacks funding in Wales

We’ve all been there. Decisively walked into a room looking for something and almost instantly forgotten why or what you were in there for.

Or you’re having a chat and mid-flow suddenly lose your trail of thought and forget a specific word you want to use to describe something. It can be very frustrating.

But can you imagine living with constant memory loss and confusion? Or hitting a blank void every time you try to conjure someones name, an everyday object or place?

Figures from the Alzheimer Research Trust revealed this week that 820 thousand people suffer from Dementia in the UK, 37,000 in Wales alone.

I spoke with scientists at Cardiff University who say in order find a cure, remedy or learn more about this disease, more funding is needed for research.

The Welsh Assembly Government say they are committed to supporting dementia care but this does not necessarily mean more funding for research.

Alzheimer Research Trust predict Alzheimer’s sufferers in Britain will double by 2050.

Rebecca Wood, head of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, said the true economic impact of dementia “has been ignored for too long.”

Dementia now costs the UK economy twice as much as cancer but gets a fraction of the funding.

On a more personal note, 25 million people, or 42% of the UK population, are affected by dementia through knowing a close friend or family member with the condition.