RCT Council has secured more than £4 million in new Welsh Government funding to continue to develop local flood alleviation schemes, with a total of 24 projects being designed and/or delivered over the year ahead. This significant programme will ensure flood alleviation remains a priority investment area for our communities.
This allocation will complement the Council’s own funding in this area and, combined with grants already in place for 2026/27, the total funding for flood alleviation in Rhondda Cynon Taf next year will likely be more than £6 million.
The investment will focus on the Council’s area of responsibility in relation to sources of flooding – through improving culverts and drainage systems at key locations that are susceptible to flooding from ordinary watercourses, surface water and groundwater. Flooding from main rivers is the responsibility of Natural Resources Wales, while sewer flooding is managed by Welsh Water.
Welsh Government has now confirmed its funding to Rhondda Cynon Taf for 2026/27 via two of its established investment programmes – the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Programme (£2.314 million) and the Small Scale Works Grant (£1.795 million). Total funding allocated to Rhondda Cynon Taf therefore stands at £4.064 million.
In order to secure this funding, Council officers have identified local projects, compiled business cases, and submitted formal bids – while Council match-funding is identified through its ongoing Highways Capital Programme.
A summary of the newly-announced funding allocations across the two Welsh Government programmes, along with the projects they encompass and the current stages towards their delivery, is provided at the bottom of this update.
Continued Commitment from 2025/26
- Arfyn Terrace, Tylorstown (detailed design/full business case).
- Blaenllechau, Ferndale (strategic outline case).
- Lower Rhondda Fawr, Strategic Flood Risk Area (programme business case).
- Llanwonno Road, Mountain Ash (construction phase).
- Maes y Ffynon, Aberaman (detailed design/full business case).
- Oaklands Terrace, Cilfynydd (business justification case/outline business case).
- Volunteer Street, Pentre (detailed design/full business case).
- Trehafod (Trehafod) (detailed design/full business case).
- Treorchy (Treorchy) (Phase Two – detailed design/full business case).
- Turberville Road, Porth (construction phase).
These new projects have received approval in principle:
- Abertonllwyd Street, Treherbert (detailed design/full business case).
- Maesyffynon Lane, Aberaman (construction phase).
- Nant Gwawr, Aberaman (Phase Two – detailed design/full business case).
- Park Street, Treforest (strategic outline case).
Small Scale Works Grant programme
This programme allocates funding to smaller flood alleviation schemes, which may also have wider benefits. A total of 10 schemes are identified in 2026/27, plus telemetry installation and culvert screen improvements. These are:
- Abertonllwyd Street, Treherbert (advanced works, design/construction).
- Albany Street, Ferndale (design phase).
- Alma Street, Tynewydd (design phase).
- Britannia Street, Porth (design and construction).
- Chapel Road/Swn y Nant, Llanharan (construction phase).
- Cwm Alarch Close, Mountain Ash (construction phase).
- Egypt Street, Treforest (construction phase).
- Graig-yr-Helfa Road, Glyntaff (design phase).
- Pentrebach Road, Glyntaff (design phase).
- Tudor Terrace, Aberdare (design and construction).
Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Investment, said: “Alongside Welsh Government, Council officers continue to work extremely hard to develop and deliver a significant programme of flood alleviation schemes, targeted to at-risk locations across the County Borough. This new, substantial funding of more than £4 million will enable this priority area of investment to continue over the year ahead, with 24 named schemes being progressed.
“We’ve delivered over 100 schemes since 2020, and while this represents excellent progress, we know there’s still lots more to be done. Severe weather events are becoming more common due to climate change, and this winter has been particularly wet, including three Amber weather warnings for rain issued in Rhondda Cynon Taf in the first half of December 2025 alone. All indications are that our infrastructure repairs are working – notably that we reduced flood risk to around 2,200 properties in Storm Bert during 2024.
“While the latest Welsh Government allocations for 2026/27 total £4.064 million, it’s important to note that this does not include Council match-funding – typically set at 15% for the two respective programmes – plus funding that was already in place for next year. Therefore, the overall funding for Rhondda Cynon Taf is likely to be significantly higher, building upon the £6 million that was secured for the current financial year (2025/26).”
