To note the Executive response to the 10 recommendations on the Local Flood Risk Management Strategy Action Plan made by the Environment and Sustainability Committee during its meeting on 18 November 2022.

The Chair introduced the item and provided background information in relation to the recommendations made by the Committee and the responses received from the Executive.

The Chair explained that unless there were any questions from members, the focus would be on the responses to recommendations 5 and 6, which had been partially accepted.

Recommendation 5 and the Executive response to it were read out to the committee. The Chair invited the Directorate Services Team Leader for Economy and Environment to provide an update on the response.

It was explained that the reason for the recommendation being partially accepted was due to the potential impact of forthcoming national policy, but that the directorate was aware that policy elements specific to Herefordshire would need to be considered as part of the Local Plan. The team leader read out a statement that had been provided by the Strategic and Neighbourhood Planning Manager:

“The draft local plan contains policies to ensure that the effects of climate change and flooding risks are recognised, considered and managed. Specific policies have been drafted to address these issues. These may need to be reviewed if a flood risk policy is included within the national development management policies, as part of the levelling up and regeneration bill and changes to the national planning policy framework, which are expected this autumn. The local plan is going to define the up-to-date extent of the land at risk of flooding, which may include sources of flooding other than the environment agency flood zones and this is the area where the national and local policy will apply. Strategic flood risk assessments both at county and site level will be important in this process and the strategic flood risk assessment part two is currently being commissioned.”

It was stated the Strategic and Neighbourhood Planning Manager’s work would be underpinned by the local flood risk strategy as well.

The committee understood that the local flood risk management strategy action plan needed to be used as an evidence base to inform the local plan, but it had concerns about the accuracy and reliability of EA (Environment Agency) flood mapping information.

The committee stated that it felt the EA’s flood mapping was out of date, too reliant on height above sea level data and contours, and didn’t give enough consideration to water coming in from higher grounds.

The committee also raised concerns about plans that focused solely on how to rush water through systems at the expense of considering other factors, such as how to slow down the arrival of water. It was felt that local knowledge was vital in shaping flood planning, but was not always available or included.

The committee voiced concerns about the EAs evidence base and over reliance on central government policy.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment stated that plans tended to focus on riparian/fluvial flooding rather than pluvial flooding. It was suggested that a systems thinking style approach would be helpful going forward. Plans should take a holistic approach and needed to be future-proofed to take into account climate change.

The committee noted this and suggested a recommendation be put to the Executive in relation to the matter.

Recommendation 6 and the Executive response to it were read out to the committee. The Chair invited the Directorate Services Team Leader for Economy and Environment to provide an update on the response.

It was explained that arrangements were already in place and were currently being assessed, which was why the recommendation had been partially accepted. The Council’s ecology team in conjunction with ecologists within Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP) would be further developing the process of assessing projects in relations to Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRAs) and that this was very much a work in progress.

ACTION: That the team leader provide the committee with a further update in relation to any amendments to the process in this area and to give assurance that recommendation 6 has been fully signed off.

At the end of the debate, the committee voted unanimously in favour of the proposed recommendation:

RECOMMENDATION:

That:

a)    The Executive reassure themselves that any review of the Local Plan takes account of all the flood risks, both pluvial and fluvial, specific to Herefordshire.