FLINTSHIRE Council has responded to concerns over its flood response during Storm Babet.

Last Friday, the county saw widespread flooding as a day of heavy rainfall hit the region. 

Homes across areas of the county were flooded, with two of the worst affected areas being Broughton and Sandycroft. 

Some homes there were flooded for the second or third time in as many years. Some residents said they were without sandbags despite requesting them, and that flooded roads should have been shut earlier. 

One Sandycroft resident, wishing to remain anonymous, said: "Chester Road wasn't shut until late into the evening despite residents calling for it be hours earlier. Cars were creating waves which were massively impacting the speed at which homes were being flooded. 

"I am absolutely dumfounded and annoyed that the road wasn't closed long before it was." 

Similiar concerns were also raised about Bretton Lane, in Bretton, near Broughton - which also remained open despite flooding.

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Broughton county councillor, Chrissy Gee, said: "Residents of Broughton feel let down and deserve answers. I have visited several properties who have been affected and some not for the first time.

"They feel abandoned by Flintshire Council and we need answers and we need them now. An action plan needs to be drawn up which is open and transparent. Many of my residents are now homeless or living in unsuitable housing."

Sandycroft councillor, Dale Selvester, added that the flooding caused "upset and devastation", and that going forward there needs to be a "strategic plan" involving multiple agencies.

The Broughton and Sandycroft communities are holding public meetings at the weekend over the matter.

Last year, the council said it had put in "considerable time and effort" to flood prevention measures in the Sandycroft area. 

Katie Wilby, Flintshire Council's chief officer for Streetscene and transportation, said: "Last Friday we saw widespread flooding across the county with many communities severely affected, and for many residents and businesses in these areas, the impact has been devastating. This is one of the most significant flood events in the county for a number of years and it was unprecedented in its nature. 

"The full extent of the damage and impact of the flooding has yet to be established and we do not have a full and comprehensive number of properties affected at this time. 

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"Work has already commenced on flood investigations, which aims to bring all useful information together in one place, providing an understanding of situations, outlining possible causes of flooding and potential long-term solutions to protect people and their homes from flooding, as well reviewing the response to the flood."

She added: "In the event of severe weather and where there is a genuine risk of flooding, the council will endeavour to provide filled sandbags to properties upon request as per our policy. Sandbag stocks are continuously checked and replacements ordered; however, there is a limit to both the availability and the ability to distribute sandbags, particularly when wide-scale flooding is being experienced as we had on Friday. 

"The primary response is to flooding incidents originating from the highway and non-main river sources, and the decision to deploy sandbags is taken at the discretion of responding council officers and prioritised according to severity, risk, location and available resources."