My heart goes out to everyone who was affected by last month's flooding. Many of you have contacted my office to ask for help, and my team are doing what we can to give you the support you need.

The floods in Monmouthshire reminded us all of the critical and ongoing need to invest in our infrastructure, our resilience, and our communities.

This issue of infrastructure has been highlighted in correspondence I've received from constituents in Grosmont. While they have not experienced flooding in most of the village, they have been severely affected by the damage to the local bridges and roads.

It must have been a deeply harrowing experience for everyone affected. Thank heavens, nobody was seriously hurt, but it could have been very different.

I commend the Welsh Government, Monmouthshire County Council and other support services for their quick response on the ground, though evidently some changes do need to be pushed for at a national level.

When it comes to insurance, for example, the UK Government's Flood Re scheme does provide a safety net of sorts, but the scheme is due to expire in 2039, at which point insurance companies will be able to, and I quote, 'return to fully risk reflective pricing for flood insurance.'

That is a cliff edge that threatens the very existence of some communities. People will be priced out of living in some areas. Some mortgage lenders are already considering whether to automatically decline loans for borrowers in high-risk areas.

In the Senedd, I have demanded that the Welsh Government make the case to the UK Government to extend that scheme.

The lack of consistent and Welsh-specific data is also a problem, and that can exacerbate a lack of public awareness about how to access tailored insurance coverage, as well as property flood resilience support.

I am concerned that this will be particularly true amongst households that are struggling economically and who might be more exposed to these risks.

This shows the need, in my view, for direct government intervention to enhance insurance coverage in flood plain areas, rather than offloading responsibility solely on home owners.

We cannot deny the realities of the climate emergency, which some parties and some very loud voices would seek us to do; rather, we must embed climate resilience and mitigation in all aspects of Welsh Government policy.

Psychological support must be made readily available to all those affected as well, of course, since the marks left by flooding aren’t always physical.

I realise that the after-effects of flooding can be long-lasting. I can only imagine how frightened and unsettled many of you will have been during the periods of heavy rain in recent days, worrying that floods could happen again. If any of this has affected you and I can be of any assistance, please do email me – my address is [email protected]