1) This Council recognises the excellent response to floods associated with Storms Babet, Ciaran and Henk within our communities. Only collaborative efforts of communities and statutory agencies provide immediate interventions to critical and widespread incidents such as those experienced in recent months. Rectifying longer term disruption to residents and businesses must be a shared responsibility of this Council and partner agencies.
2) That the Chair on behalf of the Council be requested to write to all parish councils to call on them to assess flood risk in their communities and develop a local flood resilience plan supported by professional expertise with assistance from the Council as necessary, and that;
3) The Council calls on Suffolk County Council and the Environment Agency to accelerate the recovery phase of repairs and urgently addressing the infrastructure maintenance backlog.
4) Concurrent with the above, the Council calls on Suffolk County Council, DEFRA, the Environment Agency and Natural England to focus attention on both natural flood alleviation measures and structural remedial activity to mitigate future risk of flooding to property and essential infrastructure. These approaches should be managed and a balance struck to ensure maximisation of environmental benefit and limitation of carbon intensive solutions (e.g. mechanical flood defences) to only those areas where the former is impractical or ineffective.
5) It will be vital to bring together technical expertise (hydrology and ecology) along with local knowledge of landowners and their representative bodies (e.g. National Farmers Union, Country Landowners Association and Nature Friendly Farming Network) and third sector partners (e.g. The Pickerel Project and River Waveney Trust).
Proposer: Cllr Tim Weller
Seconder: Cllr Andrew Mellen
Minutes:
96.1 The Chair invited Councillor Weller to introduce and PROPOSE his Motion as detailed in the tabled papers.
96.2 Councillor Mellen SECONDED the Motion.
96.3 Councillor Patchett supported the motion but outlined that it could go further in holding agencies to account.
96.4 Councillor Mansel questioned whether the motion went far enough in encouraging the flood authority to consider the impact of storms in the future, especially in relation to planning applications.
96.5 Councillor Linder raised concern that the phrasing of the motion was coercive to parish councils and could put a strain on their resources.
96.6 Councillor Matthissen proposed the following amendment to the motion: This Council calls on parish and town councils to actively participate in assessing flood risk in their communities and to work collaboratively with officers to develop or enhance all of their local community emergency response plans (not just in response to flooding). Councillor Carter seconded this proposal.
96.7 Councillor Weller and Councillor Mellen accepted the amendment.
96.8 Councillor Lawrence outlined that he did not support the motion as the production of local flood resilience plans had not been costed for parish councils.
96.9 Councillor Pratt outlined that whilst there would be a cost in developing plans, they were worth doing as they could improve safety for residents and reduce the impact of flooding.
96.10 Councillor Stringer outlined that due to resource issues in the County Council and the Environment Agency plans would be beneficial in order to identify areas where there are issues and identify solutions.
96.11 Councillor Whitehead raised concern that parish councils may not be receptive to developing plans.
96.12 Councillor Weller highlighted that grassroot and community solutions in relation to flooding could be undertaken by communities without great expenses, and that collaborative working with the County Council and Environment Agency was a necessity to solve flooding issues.
96.13 Councillor Mansel left the meeting at 21:05 pm.
96.14 Councillor Lawrence left the meeting at 21:07 pm.
By a unanimous vote.
It was RESOLVED: -
1) This Council recognises the excellent response to floods associated with Storms Babet, Ciaran and Henk within our communities. Only collaborative efforts of communities and statutory agencies provide immediate interventions to critical and widespread incidents such as those experienced in recent months. Rectifying longer term disruption to residents and businesses must be a shared responsibility of this Council and partner agencies.
2) This Council calls on parish and town councils to actively participate in assessing flood risk in their communities and to work collaboratively with officers to develop or enhance all of their local community emergency response plans (not just in response to flooding), and that;
3) The Council calls on Suffolk County Council and the Environment Agency to accelerate the recovery phase of repairs and urgently addressing the infrastructure maintenance backlog.
4) Concurrent with the above, the Council calls on Suffolk County Council, DEFRA, the Environment Agency and Natural England to focus attention on both natural flood alleviation measures and structural remedial activity to mitigate future risk of flooding to property and essential infrastructure. These approaches should be managed and a balance struck to ensure maximisation of environmental benefit and limitation of carbon intensive solutions (e.g. mechanical flood defences) to only those areas where the former is impractical or ineffective.
5) It will be vital to bring together technical expertise (hydrology and ecology) along with local knowledge of landowners and their representative bodies (e.g. National Farmers Union, Country Landowners Association and Nature Friendly Farming Network) and third sector partners (e.g. The Pickerel Project and River Waveney Trust).