Decision details

(Time: 3.15pm to 3.31pm)

The Executive received and considered report 22/08 of the Deputy Director (Commercial Services) and the Strategic Director, which looked at developments arising from the floods of July 2007.  The Executive was asked to approve the Emergency Response and Recovery Plan 2008 and the updated Flood Management Policy which had arisen following the flooding experiences.  The Executive noted the consequential actions arising from the flooding review, undertaken by the Emergency Advisory Group.  The Executive also noted the current financial position relating to flooding and approved proposals for future expenditure. 

Earlier in the week, one day of high rainfall levels had been experienced again, although not as extreme as July 2007.  The Deputy Director reported that his staff had been responding to requests for help and filling sandbags until 9.30pm. 

Funds were available to help community flood relief schemes; several had already been identified, working in partnership with local groups and other agencies.  Through every flooding experience, partnership working was improving but it was accepted that it was impossible to predict the impact and severity of every storm.  Members recognised that the Council’s Direct Services Organisation and other staff were working hard on every occasion of high rainfall.  They were thanked for their efforts. 

Members asked for a further report on proposals within the capital programme for flood relief schemes.  Members urged caution in raising expectations that funds would be available to assist individual households.  Care needed to be taken to spend the funds wisely to provided the greatest level of flood protection for a community, whilst working with the Environment Agency and other agencies. 

Finally, the Executive thanked the Emergency Advisory Group for its work and disbanded it as its work had been completed. 

RESOLVED

(a)               that the Vale Emergency Response and Recovery Plan 2008 be approved;

(b)               that the updates to the Vale Flood Management Policy 2008 be approved;

(c)               that the recommendations of the Emergency Advisory Group relating to the consequential actions emanating from the Vale Flood Review 2007 be accepted;

(d)               that the overview of the current financial position relating to flooding be noted;

(e)               that the proposals for future expenditure on flooding matters, as set out in Section 9 of Appendix A to report 22/08, be approved;

(f)                 that a further report be submitted by the Deputy Director (Commercial Services) to the Executive setting out the detail of proposals for the capital programme for flood relief schemes; and

(g)               that, having completed its work, the Emergency Advisory Group be disbanded and its members be thanked for its work.