Victims of last week’s flooding in Llechryd have been “effectively abandoned” by Ceredigion County Council, it was claimed this week.

The homes of a number of people living close to the River Teifi were flooded by waters up to 10 feet deep as a result of Storm Callum.

But Lampeter councillor Dinah Mulholland claimed the flooding not only revealed a ”major issue” with Ceredigion council’s civil contingency planning, but also a “gaping difference” in the experience and treatment of flood victims either side of the Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire border.

“Whereas Carmarthenshire has responded to recent events with what appears to be an effective civil emergency and recovery plan, Ceredigion council did not seem to have anything like the same level of preparedness,” said Cllr Mulhulland, who was Labour’s candidate in the last General Election and works with homeless people.

“It is this lack of a plan that has impacted so negatively and profoundly, and has meant that the people I spent time with in Llechryd last Wednesday who had been made homeless were effectively abandoned by the council.”

A Ceredigion council spokesperson said their emergency response procedures and plans were not made publicly available as they contained sensitive information and operational details.

“Unfortunately, it is not always possible to secure temporary accommodation in the immediate area of residents who’ve been affected by the flood, but every attempt was made to ensure that flood victims were offered temporary accommodation as close to their home areas as possible,” they added.

“Housing Services were in contact with many lettings agencies and local B&Bs and were able to offer local temporary accommodation to flood victims, therefore there was no need for additional accommodation."

See this week’s South Ceredigion paper for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now