Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director of People (Operational In-House Services)

The Committee considered the report of the Assistant Director of People (Operational In-House Services) advising that the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 previously required that arrangements be made to review and scrutinise the exercise by the Council as a Lead Local Flood Risk Authority of its flood risk management functions and coastal erosion risk management functions; that following the cessation of this requirement, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had requested that an annual Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management review be submitted to it.

The report indicated that the Annual Review covered the 12-month period from September 2022-2023 and detailed the following key areas:

• Information on flooding & erosion incidents experienced over the last year.
• Work progress relative to our legislative responsibilities as a Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), Riparian Owner and Coastal Authority.
• Work progress relative to our own actions set out in our Local Flood Risk Management Strategy (LFRMS) 2022-2030.
• Overview of annual finances

The report indicated that in January 2023, the government announced its decision to implement Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 in England to better control flooding and wastewater discharges; that sections 18 and 19 of Schedule 3 stated that the SuDS Approval Body (SAB’s) adoption duty did not apply to a drainage system which had been designed for a single property or publicly maintained roads; that currently, no further guidance on funding arrangements, dates of enactment etc had been published; and that this would require additional resource within the Council to undertake the various aspects of this role, though it was unclear what level was required and where funding would come from to support this. 

The report sought the views of the Committee on:

·       the need for future annual reports to be submitted as it was no longer a requirement under the Flood and Water Management Act, 2010; and

·       comments for submission to the Cabinet Member - Health and Wellbeing.

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       the implementation in Wales of Section 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010; and could lessons be learned from Welsh authorities on its implementation and commercial implications.

·       Flooding issues in Ince Blundell and the alleged poor response from the Council’s contact centre when dealing with residents’ requests for help.

·       The involvement of developers in ensuring that drainage approval was sought from a SuDS Approval Body before construction on their projects commenced.

·       The use of water butts as a simple but effective way to store rainfall to help to protect drainage systems; and how this could be promoted with   residents.

·       funding to deliver the Crosby Flood and Coastal Defence Scheme.

·       The large number of Risk Management Authorities the Council had to engage with and was this overly bureaucratic.

·       The number of riparian owners in Sefton.

·       The reasons why Maghull seemed particularly badly affected by flood reports and the continuing work to investigate this problem.

·       The ‘Merseyside Partnership Quick Win’ fund and recommended projects made by Sefton.

·       Birkdale allotment flooding issues.

·       Gulley cleansing activity to help resolve highway drainage issues.

RESOLVED: That