Agenda item

Report of the Head of Planning Transportation and Environment (PTE/19/11) on the Flood Risk Management Action Plan containing an update on the current year’s programme and approval of schemes and proposed investment in 2019/20, attached.

(Councillors Dewhirst, Way and Whitton attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/19/11) on the achievements made in delivering the essential flood improvements set out in the previous Action Plan for 2018/19 and approval for the 2019/20 Action Plan, the Report being circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.

The Report highlighted how the Council’s Flood and Coastal Risk Management Team had collaborated with other Risk Management Authorities (RMAs) and outside organisations to deliver the essential flood improvements and statutory functions, in accordance with the principles set out in the Local Flood Risk Management Strategy for Devon.  The Report also confirmed the scale of achievements and targets met and the level of external funding that had been successfully gained from Defra’s Flood Defence Grant in Aid, the ‘Local Levy’ and other partnership contributions.

In reporting the achievements, the Cabinet noted that almost £3 millions had been invested in 2018/19 with over £940k of national flood funding drawn down from Defra, £150k through the Regional Flood & Coastal Committee’s Local Levy and £222k from others (£100k from South West Water and £50k from South Hams District Council).  150 properties had benefitted from a reduced risk of flooding through completed schemes and a further 200 properties were due to benefit from schemes currently underway in Exeter, Sidmouth and Ivybridge.  A detailed account of all schemes that received investment in 2018/19 could be found at: Achievements in Flood Risk Management in 2018/19.

In addition to scheme delivery, there was ongoing work on statutory duties with approximately 470 new planning applications to be reviewed each year for suitable provision of surface water management in line with the Council’s Guidance for Sustainable Drainage. The Team also administered the Land Drainage Consent process, through which changes to ‘Ordinary Watercourses’ were considered. Cases relating to obstructions to Ordinary Watercourses were often time-consuming and could also be contentious.

In accordance with the Local Flood Risk Management Strategy for Devon and current Government priorities, the aim was to reduce the risk of flooding to properties across the County and make communities more resilient.  The Flood Risk Management Action Plan for 2019/20, attached at Appendix I to the Report, continued the ongoing delivery of flood improvements and resilience measures for some of Devon’s high-risk communities and vulnerable householders.  It highlighted the priority communities that would receive the required funding to deliver essential flood improvements.

Increased consideration was also being given to the use of Natural Flood Management (NFM) measures to promote flood improvements at a catchment scale and the Council continued to work in partnership to deliver such NFM measures, including the Northern Devon Biosphere Reserve through the ‘Culm Grassland Project’, the East Devon Catchment Partnership for the delivery of such measures in Ottery St Mary and with the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) on their ‘Woods 4 Water’ and ‘Connecting the Culm’ projects.

In the delivery of its flood risk functions, the Cabinet noted that any potential impacts on the environment were appropriately assessed and mitigated. A high-level Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) had been carried out as part of the Local Flood Management Strategy process; and would be repeated through the forthcoming review of this Strategy.  Any schemes would also be subject to a specific environmental assessment and equality impact assessment.

The Cabinet noted that it was vital that the Authority continued to act and invest in the ongoing programme of flood investigations and scheme delivery to reduce the number of properties at risk, which could only be achieved by working in partnership and supporting other RMAs to deliver collaborative solutions to complex issues.

The matter having been debated and the options and/or alternatives and other relevant factors (e.g. financial, sustainability (including carbon impact), risk management, equality and legal considerations and Public Health impact) set out in the Head of Service’s Report and/or referred to above having been considered:

it was MOVED by Councillor Croad, SECONDED by Councillor Hart, and

RESOLVED that the implementation of and associated financial allocations for the County Council’s 2019/20 Flood Risk Management Action Plan be approved.