We’re approaching one year since Storm Claudia brought some of the worst flooding many of us have ever seen across Monmouthshire.

Skenfrith and Monmouth were particularly badly hit, with homes and Monmouth’s high street suffering terrible damage.

Despite this, it was heartwarming to see communities come together to help one another in the aftermath.

However, many people and businesses are still recovering, and the threat of future flooding remains.

Monmouthshire County Council has now released its Section 19 report into the flooding.

The report concludes that Storm Claudia caused an exceptionally severe flood in the River Monnow catchment, with rainfall and river flows exceeding the capacity of existing flood-management infrastructure and flood defences.

However, the report makes 20 recommendations for improving flood risk management. These include ensuring houses in Forge Road get their own individual flood protection measures, such as pumps and flood doors, and Natural Resources Wales continuing the work it has started on building flood barriers for Skenfrith.

I will keep a close eye on these recommendations to ensure agencies make progress and continue lobbying for more funding for flood prevention across Monmouthshire.

Since the flood, my office has supported residents and businesses with all sorts of difficult issues, including finding emergency housing, chasing insurance claims and getting new insurance cover.

As well as helping with the practical clean-up in the days immediately after the flood, I have convened meetings with Natural Resources Wales, the Welsh Government and Monmouthshire County Council to ensure we make progress on flood defences and individual measures to try to keep water out of people's homes.

I have been convening meetings with residents and agencies in Skenfrith since 2024 and am now doing the same for Forge Road residents in Monmouth. These meetings are one of the ways we can ensure progress is made, while also allowing residents to question agencies directly, as flooding sadly becomes more frequent.

I also recently raised flooding directly with the UK Government in Parliament, telling the Minister about a constituent who was unable to return home for two years after an earlier flood because the damage was so severe.

I asked whether upstream flood resilience measures in England could be looked at to reduce the risk of future flooding in Monmouthshire. The Minister confirmed that the Environment Agency is looking at what more can be done in this area.

I know work is already being done in Wales through the Resilient Rivers project, so I will continue pushing for progress from all angles.

I will continue raising these issues at all levels in Westminster and supporting residents on the ground to ensure flood defences and better preparations are put in place as soon as possible.