Agenda and minutes

(Director of Governance)  To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

The Panel noted there were no substitute members

To agree the notes of the last meeting held on 24^th February 2015.

The notes of the 24 February 2015 meeting were agreed as a correct record.

(Director of Governance). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

No declarations of interest were made.

To receive a presentation the officers from Thames Water. At this Panel’s last meeting, Panel members indicated they would like the following topics covered:

1.    Update on Rye Mead sewage treatment plant development;

2.    What are TW doing about ensuring appropriate responses are given to Local Planning Authorities when planning applications are received for  new development where surface and foul water systems are already at capacity and/or when TW know the systems are defective and/or in need of upgrading?

3.    Given the level of proposed development in the Epping Forest District are there any plans to extend the network capacity for both surface and foul water systems in this district?

4.    What is TW doing about the overflowing main drains, in particular those causing surface water flooding?

5.    What are TW’s maintenance regimes for their surface and foul water assets in this district?

6.    Are there any plans to expand TWs pumping stations within the district?

7.    Do TW’s pumping stations have back up systems?

The following officers from Thames Water will be attending the meeting:

·         Mr Mark Dickinson – Development Planning Manager;

·         Mr Mark Grimshaw – Wastewater Regional Performance Manager; and

·         Mumin Islam – Local & Regional Government Liaison.

The Chairman welcomed four officers from Thames Water (TW) to the meeting. They were there to give a presentation on their work in this area, the problems they faced and to outline some solutions.

The officers introduced themselves to the Panel. They were Mumin Islam, the Local, Regional Government Liaison; Mark Dickinson, their Development Planning Manager; Nigel Fuller, their Fields Operations Specialist and Anne Christie, Customer & Continuous Improvement Manager.

Before the meeting, our officers had sent them examples of problem works in our district and a list of questions from our Councillors. They started by apologising for the time taken for some of the work they had undertaken and for their lack of communication in aspects for the cases provided.

They showed a map showing the boundary of region that they covered mostly around Oxford and North London coming up to Waltham Abbey into Epping Forest District (a copy of their presentation is attached). We noted that they had a duty to provide public sewerage and to clean and maintain sewers. They also had a duty to provide and extend sewerage systems, but did not have the duty to provide capacity to deal with flood or ground water. They also did not deal with rivers or canals. There were three types of sewer: foul water sewers, surface water sewers and combined sewers (these were mainly in London).

The causes of flooding could be many and complex. It was difficult to identify where the water initially came from. In general, it was noted that the local council and land owners were responsible for surface and ground water flooding; highway flooding was the responsibility of the local council and/or the Highway Agency; river flooding was the responsibility of the riparian owners and the Environment Agency; Thames Water was responsible for surface water sewers and foul water sewers.

On the cases raised by EFDC – they had repaired the problems that caused the flooding at Bower Vale, Epping.  At Monkswood Avenue, Waltham Abbey they would be initiating repairs within the next few weeks.  They had now stopped the flooding at Orchard Gardens and Mead Court and the drains had been cleared out. Sewardstone Road (junction with Farm Hill Road) could not be traced by their records; the Waltham Abbey Football Club was a private asset; and Horseshoe Hill was not on their records.

They apologised for their poor communication and for delays in responding to incidents. Thames Water was increasing the number of customer representatives in both their clean and waste teams to improve contact.  They were also continuously reviewing their communications branch improving how they target communication to areas that needed it most.

They have a “Pollution Tile” project which was investigating issues in their highest risk pollution and flooding locations, their history and any remedial work needed. They would also review up to 200kms of blockage hotspots within the next few months.

They had a ‘Hold/Closed the loop process’, looking at how long it took to do work and to push  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.

(Chairman / Lead Officer) The Overview and Scrutiny Committee has agreed the Terms of Reference of this Panel. This is attached along with a draft work programme. The Panel are asked at each meeting to review both documents.

The  Panel’s Terms of Reference and Work Programme were noted. They also noted that a possible Crime and Disorder meeting would be scheduled in June for the new Select Committee.

As this was the last ever meeting of this Panel (in its current form) the Chairman thanked her fellow Panel members and officers for their hard work during the past year. In turn the members of the Panel thanked the Chairman for her work over the year.