Agenda item

Review of the Lincolnshire Flood Risk and Water Management Partnership

(To receive a verbal update and presentation from David Hickman (Growth and Environment Commissioner) which gives the Committee an update on the work of the Flood Risk and Water Management Partnership)

Minutes:

The Committee received a presentation from the Growth and Environment Commissioner which provided an update on the work of the Flood Risk and Water Management Partnership.  Further information was provided in relation to the following:

·         Lincolnshire has a unique Joint Scrutiny Committee reflecting the Flood Risk and Water Management Partnership

·         Joint Flood Risk and Drainage Management Strategy

·         The need for a review of partnership arrangements

·         Key questions

 

Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions to the officers present in relation to the information contained within the presentation, and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

·         It was confirmed that if there was a performance measure that the committee was not happy with, this would be reported back to the partnership through the existing governance channels.

·         It was commented that it was an interesting concept to consider scrutinising the management of water which would pose a threat and also seeing it as an opportunity for economic growth.  It was suggested that this could be done through the consideration of exemplary case studies to illustrate where this has worked in other areas.

·         Members were interested to know how this would fit in with the water Resources East programme and the interconnectivity of water courses in the south of the county.  It was noted that this was one of the key areas that had developed since the Partnership had been set up.

·         Economic growth and water management should be considered together in order to develop long term protection measures that would be necessary for the coast.

·         It was commented that there was a need to look at the positive aspects of water management.

·         Members were advised that there was now a much greater focus nationally on flood risk and water management as part of the government's broader agenda.

·         It was commented that this committee had been very involved in the Louth and Horncastle scheme and it was suggested whether there should be a piece of work done on how the Partnership had worked and what lessons could be learnt.  It was thought that there was a need to look at how the models which had been put in place could be used, as Lincolnshire was seen as being at the forefront of partnership working.

·         It was noted that the Internal Drainage Boards were running a pilot scheme, the Partnership Approach to Catchment Management (PACM), focusing on developing successful multi-agency working at a local level, involving the involvement of landowners and farmers.  It was agreed that the Committee would receive an update on this at a future meeting.

·         It was noted that partnership working was important and there was a need to see Lincolnshire as part of a bigger picture and the more that Lincolnshire could engage with neighbouring areas, and then the county would be more able to have a major role in the national picture.

·         Members were advised that it was recognised that water did not abide by boundaries and the impact water could have on Lincolnshire if it fell in Nottinghamshire, for example, needed to be considered.  There was a need to work holistically.

 

RESOLVED

 

            That the presentation and comments made be noted.

 

 
 
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