Issue - meetings

To consider and approve the recommendations forwarded by the Joint Worcestershire Scrutiny into Flooding Task and Finish Group in February 2009 and any additional suggestions since proposed by relevant Officers from Redditch Borough Council regarding the practical and financial implications of these recommendations for the Council.

(Report attached – Appendices available via the Council’s Website and as a hard copy in Group Rooms)

RESOLVED that

1)         the Council’s response to the Joint County and District Councils’ Scrutiny Report into the Summer Floods 2007 be approved, including additional comments by Officers listed in the report submitted;

2)         the Council’s policies on ditches be initially applied to Arterial Ditches only;

3)         the Council notes its position in the light of the Flood Risk Regulations 2009 and the Flood Water Management Act 2010, subject to the Commencement Orders; and

4)         a report be prepared by Officers, as previously instructed by Members, setting out proposals for a joint North WorcestershireLand Drainage Partnership in accordance with the above guidance.

(Members noted that the Council’s Operations Manager was attending the two day Flood Management 2010 conference on behalf of the Borough and County)

The Committee received a presentation updating it on progress with regard to the Joint Scrutiny Report into the 2007 floods and other land drainage strategies. The Members were reminded that Redditch had been in a significantly better position than many other Worcestershire Districts at the time of the 2007 floods as the Borough’s records were far more advanced and complete than was the case in other districts. It was noted that progress in respect of more recent legislation could not be made at present as guidance and Commencement Orders were still to be received from central Government.

The Committee commended the Operations Manager on his expertise in this field and stressed the tremendous benefit he had brought to the Borough through his work on drainage over a number of years. Members noted that the Council’s Operations Manager was attending the two day Flood Management 2010 conference on behalf of the Borough and County.

RESOLVED that

1)         the Council’s response to the Joint County and District Councils’ Scrutiny Report into the Summer Floods 2007 be approved, including additional comments by Officers listed in the report submitted;

2)         the Council’s policies on ditches be initially applied to Arterial Ditches only;

3)         the Council notes its position in the light of the Flood Risk Regulations 2009 and the Flood Water Management Act 2010, subject to the Commencement Orders; and

4)         a report be prepared by Officers, as previously instructed by Members, setting out proposals for a joint North WorcestershireLand Drainage Partnership in accordance with the above guidance.