Agenda and minutes

Venue: Telford Room, Addenbrooke House, Ironmasters Way, Telford, TF3 4NT

Contact: Kieran Robinson  01952 382061

Items
No. Item

ENVSC33

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

None

ENVSC34

Minutes of The Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 118 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVEDthat - the minutes of the meeting held on 21 July 2021 be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

 

ENVSC35

Terms of Reference pdf icon PDF 208 KB

To approve the Committee’s Terms of Reference for the municipal year 2021 to 2022.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair outlined that the Terms of Reference remained unchanged from the previous year with one minor change suggested to provide clarity around the process for appointment of a Chair for the Committee.

 

RESOLVED that – the terms of reference be approved.

 

ENVSC36

Flood Water Management Review pdf icon PDF 221 KB

To receive the report of Dean Sargeant (Director: Neighbourhood & Enforcement Services).

 

The Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Green Spaces, Natural & Historic Environment and the Cabinet Member for Economy, Housing, Transport & Infrastructure will also attend for this item.

Minutes:

Members received the presentation of the Service Delivery Manager: Highways, Engineering and Project Delivery and the Drainage and Flood Risk Team Leader.

 

Members heard that in its role as a Highway Authority, the Council was responsible for managing drainage and flood risk as part of its strategic and regulatory role. This meant mitigating the risk of increasingly severe weather due to climate change. Throughout 2020, there had been a number of severe flood events, including the worst floods on the River Severn since 2000. This was followed by Storm Dennis in February 2020, heavy rainfall in the north of the Borough during August 2020 that resulted in impacts not experienced since 2007. In January 2021, river levels again reached levels similar to those in February 2020. The Committee were informed that the Council had provided continued support for those affected while working to secure government funding to assist in recovery and flood prevention measures.

 

Through work with partner agencies and communities, they were able to gain greater understanding of the effects of events, both before and after. The Coalbrookdale Flood Action Group had been an indicator of the importance of community support as it had allowed all partners to talk to the community directly and develop flood responses. The Committee heard that when the flood barriers moved in February 2020 work and investment was carried out in partnership with the Environment Agency. A bid had also been submitted for £50,000 worth of Property Flood Resilience Grants.

 

Feedback provided in the aftermath of the January 2021 floods showed that 92% of respondents felt supported by the Council at all stages of the flooding incident. The Council continued to be an active participant in the English Severn and Wye Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC), the newly formed River Severn Partnership and were working with partners on the ‘Farm the flow’ project in the Coal Brook catchment.

 

A discussion followed noting the improvements made surrounding the Severn which the Committee welcomed. However, Members noted that flooding and drainage issues within other areas of the Borough had not been addressed.

 

Members posed a number of questions:

 

How could roads flooding in urban areas be prevented, particularly on new build estates?

 

The Council had worked extensively with planning to supervise technical approvals and the 100-year+ climate change modelling to ensure that water was safely managed during development. Until completion of a development, the responsibility would fall with the developer but conditions had been put in place. However, most pipe networks were maintained by Severn Trent rather than highways.

 

 

 

What steps were taken to audit and monitor Severn Trent?

 

In order to manage risk the Service Delivery Manger Highways, Engineering & Project Delivery assured the Committee that they worked with both the Environment Agency and Severn Trent on all issues. This enabled them to learn from events and provide prioritised and targeted investment where needed. It was recognised that schemes needed to be sustainable and developers held to account in the long  ...  view the full minutes text for item ENVSC36

ENVSC37

Chair's Update

Minutes:

The Chair informed Members that the recommendation on recycling bins had moved towards implementation, with one bin having been installed in place at the town park. More were to be rolled out in the near future.