Issue - meetings

To receive presentations from the following:

1)    Flooding and Adaptation Work – Sian Hoare, Operations Manager: Flood Risk and Adaptation (Herts County Council)

2)    Climate Adaptation Corporate Risk – Ellie Hollingsworth & Georgina Chapman, Policy & Strategy Team (North Herts Council)

Presentations were received from Sian Hoare, Operations Manager: Floor Risk and Adaptation – Herts County Council and Ellie Hollingsworth & Georgina Chapman, Policy & Strategy Team.

Audio recording – 20 minutes 15 seconds

The Chair invited Sian Hoare, the Operations Manager of Flood Risk and Adaptation at Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) to give a presentation on Flooding and Adaptation Work. Sian Hoare advised that:

·        Flooding was experienced in Hitchin from 22 September with a flood warning issued on 27 September and removed on 5 October.

·        Rainfall was long and intense which caused the small water courses that led to the river to become overwhelmed, creating significant fluvial and surface water flooding.

·        Homes, businesses and infrastructure were affected with 20 properties flooded internally and a further 27 flooded externally.

·        Local MPs and Councillors had supported the process to date.

·        In response to the flooding, a drop-in session for residents was set up so that residents could report on what happened as well as express their feelings about flood risk.

·        An assessment of assets along the River Purwell and clearance work were completed in partnership with the Council, the Environment Agency and the Internal Drainage Board to clear any obstructions along the river. 

·        The County Council had commissioned the National Flood Forum to work with the community in Hitchin to create a flood group that would eventually create a flood plan by working with the relevant partner organisations including HCC to draw up flood mitigations.

·        A debrief event of the flooding took place in which officers from North Herts Council, the County Council and the Fire Service attended, and improvements to the response process were highlighted should the event occur again.

·        Anglian Water conducted an assessment of all their assets and looked at non-return valves in their manholes to reduce flood risk and carried out a clean up of affected gardens.

·        Monthly multi-agency meetings were taking place in which Anglian Water, the County Council and North Herts Council were meeting to discuss flooding, with updates published to the County Council website.

·        A statutory Section 19 investigation was being undertaken to understand what happened and make recommendations to prevent future floods.

·        Anglian Water carried out several CCTV surveys of their network and identified areas of concern to be actioned.

·        A review of national legislation would take place over the next year to address the strengths and failings of the Flood Risk Management Cycle and where changes needed to be made at a policy level.

·        In terms of flooding adaptation, the County Council were working on this with partners at District Councils and water companies through the Hertfordshire Climate Change and Sustainability Partnership (HCCSP), including developing a climate change risk assessment.

·        The County Council as a pilot authority for climate change had been involved in the adaptation reporting power in which they report on adaptation and how the County Council has been mitigating against the risks and impacts of climate change. This was a resource intensive process, but it had helped them to understand what to report on when it was actioned again in the future.  

Sian Hoare then invited Lynne Ceeney, the Director of Sustainability at Hertfordshire County  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6