Agenda item

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR – RESOURCES AND DIRECTOR – ENVIRONMENT

The Council is a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. Amongst other requirements this means that the Council (with other responders) is required to have plans for emergencies, respond to an emergency when it happens and support the recovery from an emergency. Whilst this places obligations on the Council, there are still options available in relation to the level of support that is provided when emergencies occur. This report considers the options in relation to flooding.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:

(1)         Approved that the Council does not provide flood defence items or funding to residents to protect or reinstate their property against or following flooding.

(2)         Noted that the Council would provide support to residents which would include providing information and guidance (including online, in-person and by phone). This would include support for anyone who is made homeless.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS:

(1)         The report sets out various practical and financial reasons for not providing residents with flood defence items or funding to residents to protect or reinstate their property against or following flooding.

(2)         The Council will fulfil its role as a Category 1 responder, as set out in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, and provide support to communities affected by flooding.

Audio recording – 38 minutes 57 seconds

Councillor Ian Albert, as Executive Member for Resources, presented the report entitled ‘Position Statement in Relation to Flooding’ and advised that:

·             Consideration needed to be given to the future impacts that climate change would bring through weather events.

·             Intense rainfall caused flooding in Hitchin and other areas last year.

·             The report detailed the response that was given to this event and they would commit to provide a similar response to future weather events.

·             Sandbags were provided to residents as the Council did not have a position on supplying these at the time.

·             The Council needed a defined position on flooding to be able to respond to any future events decisively.

·             Providing a position statement would also allow residents in susceptible areas to plan how to protect their properties.

·             As detailed at paragraph 8.4 of the report, sandbags or equivalent items would not be provided to protect individual properties but may still be used to protect key assets, such as sub-stations or for a general flood response to divert water.

·             The report recommended that the Council should not provide specific support to residents recovering from flooding to encourage them to arrange suitable insurance that would cover them for emergency incidents. 

·             Support would be given to residents in other ways through emergency accommodation, homelessness support, and communication with outside organisations to speed up recovery after an event. 

·             Hertfordshire County Council would provide kits to areas that would be or had been subject to flooding.

·             Working with other organisations would help to support the right response to flooding in the future. 

Councillor Daniel Allen put on record his thanks to Officers, Members and other organisations for their work to respond to the flooding that took place last year.

In response to a question from Councillor Daniel Allen, Councillor Ian Albert advised that their Position Statement followed the recommendations of the Local Lead Flood Authority.

In response to a question from Councillor Daniel Allen, the Director – Resources advised that the draft report had been checked against the flooding investigation report that had been published recently and the final report would also be checked against this.

In response to a question from Councillor Daniel Allen, Councillor Amy Allen advised that:

·             The Environment Agency strongly recommended against the use of sandbags due to their one time use which also went against Council policies.

·             Residents would receive more bespoke support through insurance providers.

As part of the debate, Councillor Donna Wright thanked Officers and Members for coordinating the response to the flooding last year and highlighted that sandbags were not effective in response to flooding that happened on Woolgrove Road in Hitchin. 

Councillor Ian Albert proposed and Councillor Amy Allen proposed and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:

(1)         Approved that the Council does not provide flood defence items or funding to residents to protect or reinstate their property against or following flooding.

(2)         Noted that the Council would provide support to residents which would include providing information and guidance (including online, in-person and by phone). This would include support for anyone who is made homeless.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS:

(1)         The report sets out various practical and financial reasons for not providing residents with flood defence items or funding to residents to protect or reinstate their property against or following flooding.

(2)         The Council will fulfil its role as a Category 1 responder, as set out in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, and provide support to communities affected by flooding.