To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors G.W. Davis and Miss F. Short.

To receive details any details of Members nominated to attend the meeting in place of a Member of the Committee.

Councillor R. Preece substituted for Councillor Miss F Short.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in respect of items on the Agenda.

Councillors: WLS Bowen, JW Edwards, JHR Goodwin, KG Grumbley and JGS Guthrie declared personal interests as members of local Internal Drainage Boards.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 8th August, 2005.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meting held on 8th August, 2005 be approved and signed by the Chairman.

Arising from resolution part b) of minute Item No. 19 (Presentation by Cabinet Member Highways and Transport) – which referred to a forthcoming meeting between the Director of Environment and the Director of the Highways Agency, the Director of Environment briefly reported that he had had a reasonably successful meeting with the Director of the Highways Agency and notes of that meeting would be circulated to Members.  The Director planned to hold further meetings with the agency on a quarterly basis.

To consider suggestions from members of the public on issues the Committee could scrutinise in the future.

No public suggestions had been received.

To consider the Environment Agency’s management of flood risk on main rivers in Herefordshire.

The Committee considered the Environment Agency’s management of flood risk on main rivers in Herefordshire.

The Chairman reminded the Committee that the Environment Agency (EA) was the Land Drainage Authority for Herefordshire and had responsibility for the management of main rivers such as the Wye, Lugg, Team, Monnow and Arrow.  The Committee had requested an opportunity to receive a presentation from the Agency and to seek clarification of the Agency’s roles, responsibilities and activities in Herefordshire.

The Chairman introduced Tim England, South East Area Flood Manager – EA Wales; Martin Cadogan, Asset Systems Management Team Leader and Angela Gray, Project Manager for Hereford Flood Alleviation Scheme.

The following are the principal points made by Mr Tim England during his presentation to the Committee on Flood Management by the Environment Agency:

• The role of the Agency had changed over the years from land drainage to Flood Risk Management;
• He gave a brief overview of the legal history concerning the subject and highlighted the change in emphasis following the 1998/2000 major floods.
• He outlined the current flood defence and coastal defence organisations; the policy responsibility; principal legislation and organisational responsibility.
• The Agency’s role included flood risk mapping; flood forecasting and warning; regulation; maintenance; flood alleviation schemes and acting as the reservoir regulatory Authority.
• Flood Risk Mapping involved the identification of the flood plain using historic data and hydraulic modelling.  This mapping would enable the identification of risk areas, inform planning processes and the public.  The Agency also used the mapping to consider the best risk management approach.   The Committee were shown examples of Lidar Survey based data maps.  Lidar involved aerial survey mapping, which can then be overlaid with Ordnance Survey and other information.
• The Agency undertook monitoring and forecasting of likely situations.  This was done by a variety of methods including strategically placed rain and river gauges and information from the Metrological Office.  This enabled them to disseminate warnings; initiate their own operational response; raise public awareness and alert professional partners, such as the local authority, and emergency services.
• The Regulatory function involved liaison with Local Authority Planning and Development Control sections; the regulation of third party works on or near watercourses; the issue of Discharge Consents and Abstraction Licensing.
• He emphasised that in most cases the landowner was responsible for watercourse maintenance.  However, the Agency did have powers, usually used in accordance with the principles of risk management, to clear blockages i.e. tree debris under bridges, the revetment of embankments; renewal of pumping station equipment and channel capacity schemes i.e. tree or soil removal.
• Flood Alleviation schemes were only considered as a last choice option.  If, in accordance with risk management criteria, schemes were considered necessary they may include embankments; walls; diversion channels; pumping stations or a combination of these.
• As of October 2004, The Water Act 2003 transferred responsibility for enforcement of the Reservoirs Act to the Agency thereby ensuring a consistent approach to enforcement.

Following the presentation the Committee questioned the Agency representatives on a number of issues.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.