Agenda item

(To receive a report from Matthew Harrison, Senior Commissioning Officer - Flood Risk, which informs the Committee of the status of all current flood investigations being undertaken in the County)

Consideration was given to a report which informed the Committee of the status of all current flood investigations being undertaken in the County. 

The Chairman invited David Hickman, Head of Environment, to present the report to the Committee.

It was reported that a total of 21 investigations had been commissioned since February 2021, and that 25 properties had been affected by flooding (details were provided in Table 1 on page 28 of the report pack).  It was highlighted that more investigations were being completed which had maintained  pressure on a finite resource.  The Committee noted that because of the high volume of flood investigations, final reports were not being completed in such a timely manner as would normally be expected.  It was noted further that steps had been taken to make the process more efficient by:

·       Taking a proportionate approach to flood investigations where, for example, the source and cause was clearly understood. Where such a 'light touch' was considered appropriate, the Committee was reassured that the requirements of Section 19 were fully met as well as the additional output of recommendations being made for mitigating future flooding; and

·       The sourcing of additional resource.

It was also reported that more development work was being done relating to presentation of information for the Committee with the use of PowerBi.

During consideration of the report, members of the Committee raised some of the following issues:

·       Some concern was raised that Section 19 reporting only took into consideration flooding inside a dwelling, when sometimes flooding had occurred in garages and sheds and whether these incidents were classed as near misses.  The Committee noted that the web link only reported Section 19 incidents.  It was noted further that the Flood Risk Team were recording near misses to date and that this information was nearing completion; and would be available for members of the Committee to consider at its next meeting.  The Committee was advised that surface water flooding was very intense in specific locations and was unpredictable effecting individual properties in a scattered way increasing pressure on resources;

·       Historic Section 19 outstanding reports in the Louth and Horncastle areas.  It was reported that Section 19 would look at the cause and that more detail would emerge as the result of investigations in the near future;

·       One member provided information relating to an individual who had been using their own pumping system for years to avoid being flooded, and whether this incident would be classed as a near miss.  Officers agreed to look into the matter outside of the meeting.  Clarification was sought as to what constituted a near miss.  The Committee was advised that the data being developed would enable a broader context of information and evidence to determine near misses;

·       Whether the mapping of rainfall over the last ten years would help to locate hotspot areas.  Officers agreed to look into the matter;

·       The result of flooding caused by human error or neglect.  The Committee was advised that this area would be looked at further on in the agenda in the report concerning the Lincolnshire Riparian Project; and

·       Whether information was received from the Met Office with regard to flooding.  The Committee was advised that information was received from the Met Office and the Resilience Forum which officers were happy to share with members of the Committee.

RESOLVED

That the investigations undertaken in the County under Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 be noted.