Agenda and minutes

To agree the attached terms of reference.

RESOLVED:

The Terms of Reference were noted and agreed, they will now go to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 3 September 2009 for their endorsement.

To agree the next meeting of this Panel.

The Panel agreed that their next meeting should be on 22 September 2009, starting at 7.30pm.

To comment and agree on response letter to Defra on the Flooding and Water Management Bill.

The Panel considered the draft letter from the Director of Environment and Street Scene to Defra on the draft Flooding and Water Management Bill. The Panel noted a couple of typographical errors and the need to change the wording on the first sentence of the eighth paragraph to replace some awkward wording. The Panel also thought it was desirable to add in an example of this District dealing with (and preventing) flooding in the district on their own.

RESOLVED:

That Panel endorsed the draft letter to Defra as amended.

To review and comment on the EFDC’s response to the draft flood and Water Management Bill.

Officers tabled a glossary of terms and abbreviations and acronyms to the Panel for their information this is also attached to these minutes for information.

The Panel went through the draft answers considering in detail only the questions that the officers considered to be sensitive or controversial.

Q 12:  Noted that officers would add “experienced” to ‘able and competent’ in their answer; and that “then” should replace ‘than’ to read “…considered practicable then stronger legally…”

Q27:    Officers to add that they would consult the public through larger groups and on –line.

Q30:    The Panel noted that a report on an annual basis would be burdensome, but would not express how long a period there should be between reports; officers were to remove their suggestion of 2 to 3 years. The District should feed into the County’s report. It was agreed that there should be a report but not done to the time period suggested.

Q31:    The Panel noted it was unclear what the role of Overview and Scrutiny would be.

Q33:    There was a need for peer review, but who would foot the costs?

Q35:    Officers thought powers should remain with the District. However, members were confused with their answer. There was a need to get agreement with County about who was responsible for what.

Q38:    This was something that the District should deal with.

Q39:    Noted that the abbreviation EFDC should be set out in full. Member also noted that officers were currently working on a Level 1 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment; doing this in-house, without going to consultants, added value. Members would also like to add to the answer that there an issue with the nature of the district, it was spread out as opposed to say Harlow or Chelmsford.

Q49:    Noted that this council was very good at introducing Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS) from as far back as 2001. The drainage teams look at all planning applications for flood risk; this was something that the Council has been championing.  If a SUDS Approving Body (SAB) was to sit with a Tier1 authority, then there would be a problem with for the Tier 2 authority. This would need to be clarified.

Q50:    Answer was agreed

Q52:    To make the point that there was an ongoing maintenance issue with SUDS.

Q56:    Noted that under the proposed structure all the funding would go to the Environment Agency.

Q61:    To add to the answer the words “the consultation document” after ‘recommended in’.

Q62:    Answer was agreed.

Q65:    Answer was agreed.

Q79:    Answer was agreed.

Q91:    Members asked to add to the answer that “when a major flooding incident occurs there can only be a local response.”

Q110:Noted two typos in the third paragraph from the end of the answer on the first line the word ‘has’ to be replaced with ‘have’ (two occurrences).

Q115:  The Panel agreed that the money should be ring fenced for flood risk management.

Q116 and 117:   Riparian responsibilities should be made clear to potential  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.