Issue - meetings

Meeting: 22/02/2022 - Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Item 33)

33 Managing flood risk in West Lindsey pdf icon PDF 420 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Mrs A White, in the Chair, highlighted the work of the Overview and Scrutiny Flood Risk Management Working Group, explaining that whilst there had been delays through the pandemic, there had been significant work undertaken by Officer and Members, and she extended her thanks to all.

 

The Committee then heard from the Assistant Director of Commercial and Operational Services regarding the proposal to develop the council’s working arrangements to align strategic planning, development management and the operational response to the management of flood risk. It was explained that national statistics indicated one in six properties in England were at risk of flooding from rivers, sea and surface water, with many others susceptible to various sources of flooding. This number was only set to increase due to climate change, increasing the need and urgency for Councils and other Flood Risk Management bodies to put in place proportionate arrangements to deal with the increasing demand.

 

Members heard that this report would set out the current work being undertaken and propose a more formal method of providing officers and Members with adequate oversight of the current and future risk. This new method would bring together the current work, both operational and strategic, into one formal area. It was proposed that a new officer-led Flood Group would be formed and report to Management Team, similar to other working group arrangements. Feeding into the group would be a strategic Member Working Group comprising of Members who represented the authority on external flood-related bodies. Ultimately, reassurance in this area would be provided to the wider Member cohort through a twice-yearly report to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

 

The report outlined how officer and Member attendance at external forums would not only ensure the Council fulfilled its legislative duty, but also achieve a flow of consistent and credible information onwards to the Flood Group. It also acknowledged the need to communicate the Council’s strategies and preparedness to residents in order to support them to adequately protect their properties.

 

It was noted that the proposed Flood Group was not a reactive body. Existing

arrangements for minor and major flooding incidents, alongside other partners

via the Lincolnshire Resilience Forum were deemed adequate. If approved, the recommendations would help further prepare and protect residents against the short- and long-term risks from surface water and fluvial flooding.

 

In welcoming questions and comments from the Committee, there was further support for the work undertaken in recent times in relation to supporting those who had been flooded and were at risk of future flooding. The importance of involving Members with such work, as well as liaising with Town and Parish Councils, was emphasised, as was the need to document ‘near-misses’, as this could help inform where future risks may lie. It was noted that the efforts of homeowners to protect their properties, whilst perhaps experiencing flooded gardens or ‘non-residential’ space such as garages, were often overlooked and they did not receive the support they needed to avoid future flooding.

 

This was recognised  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33