Agenda item

Report of Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Change

The Committee considered a report of the Cabinet Member for Environment Infrastructure and Climate Change updating them on progress with regard to the development of the County Council’s Flood Risk Management Strategy (schedule 2 to the signed minutes).

Members were informed that since the previous Strategy was approved in 2018, there had been nine significant flood events each bringing their own financial and emotional costs for individuals, local communities and businesses.

Working with communities and incorporating recent experience and innovative practice, the updated strategy aimed to include ways of managing and reducing flood risks in Staffordshire, as well as considering how best recovery could be achieved quickly. Also, it incorporated comments previously made by the Committee in respect of greater collaborative working with Partners such as District/Borough Council’s, Environment Agency and Canal and River Trust etc in respect of Flood Risk Mitigation.

At their meeting on 15 March 2023, Cabinet resolved that:-

(a)        the draft Local Flood Risk Management Strategy be approved.

(b)       That the accompanying documents: Habitats Risk Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment, be approved.

(c)        That the Director for Economy, Infrastructure and Skills in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Change be authorised to sign-off any necessary changes and publish final versions of a) and b) assuming no significant changes necessary.

(d)       That the Strategy be revised again, when implementation of Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 makes Staffordshire County Council a SuDS Approval Body responsible for the approval, adoption, maintenance and management of sustainable drainage systems, to take account of this.

At that time, a public consultation on the revised Strategy was being undertaken, the results of which were appended to the report for Members’ information. In addition, Risk Management Authorities and stakeholder organisations with an interest in flood risk management were consulted on the draft Strategy with the Environment Agency, Natural England and Historic England being consulted on the accompanying Strategic Environment and Habitat Regulation Assessments.

Members heard that the above-mentioned consultations had generated various comments including from:- (i) The Environment Agency regarding concerns over compliance of the Strategy with the Strategic Environmental Assessment; (ii) Natural England who had cited the national response to the Environment Agency Strategy and; (iii) Historic England who had requested greater reference to the historic environment.

Members were also given details of 24 Flood Risk Management Schemes currently being promoted in the County together with a ‘Flood: Aware, Informed and Resilient’ (FAIR) Project.

In the full and wide-ranging discussion which ensued, Members gave detailed scrutiny to the Authority’s continuing approach to flood risk management having regard to the consultation responses received, asking questions, seeking clarification and raising areas of concern as necessary, including:- (i) the detrimental effect of outdated drainage infrastructure on flooding in the County; (ii) the role of third parties in ensuring appropriate management of water on their land together with enforcement actions available to the County Council where appropriate; (iii) the role of Planning Authorities in maintaining the provision of flood plains and promoting a better use of run-off water; (iv) the responsibility of the Highway Authority to adequately maintain road gullies and the role of local Members in reporting defects; (v) the need for better co-ordination between Partners and for a lead authority to be responsible for seeking resolution of issues and; (vi) communication with the public including publication of timescales for completion of projects.

In conclusion, Members welcomed news of the additional Government funding for Staffordshire and the progress which had been made by the Authority in the various flood risk management schemes in the County. However, they urged the Cabinet Member to have regard to their comments during his continued work in this area and undertook to give further scrutiny to the matter in future, as necessary.

RESOLVED – (a) That the report be received and noted.

(b) That Appendix 1b to the Strategy, “Draft Local flood Risk Management Strategy Action Plan”, (and/or other documentation, as appropriate) include details of current Flood Risk Management Schemes being promoted in the County together with indicative timescales for their completion.

(c) That the publication of live flood schemes on the County Councils’

Flood Risk Management website be supported subject to appropriate environmental reports to be undertaken.

(d) That further scrutiny of the Authority’s work in the area of Flood Risk Management be undertaken at the appropriate time, as necessary.