To receive and consider recommendations from the Reservoir Advisory Group on the Council's response to Thames Water's Stage 2 consultation on its proposed new reservoir.
Minutes:
(Time: 4.16pm to 4.48pm)
(Councillors Mary and Tony de Vere both declared personal interests in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they remained in the meeting during its consideration.)
The Executive received and considered a briefing note from the Reservoir Advisory Group on the Council's response to Thames Water's Stage 2 consultation on its proposed new reservoir. Stage 2 was about the design of the reservoir, Thames Water's preferred option.
Thames Water had not responded to the Council's questions on the needs case for a reservoir (the Stage 1 consultation) as promised. Despite this, the Advisory Group considered that it would be unwise and irresponsible of the Council not to respond to the Stage 2 consultation on the reservoir's design. The alternative was to wait until the Council was consulted on the Compulsory Works Order application, a consultation period lasting only 28 days. Members considered this was an unrealistic timescale to construct a full response and therefore it was better to respond to the consultation on the reservoir's design at this stage.
The Executive supported the suggested response appended to the briefing note. However, one amendment was agreed, that under the heading of 'Outer Face' wording should be added regarding the need to protect an alternative route of the Wilts and Berks Canal around the north and west sides of the reservoir and ensuring it had a suitable clay base.
The Advisory Group had met with representatives from Parish and Town Councils. The platform had been shared with the County Council and the Environment Agency. These bodies were sharing information about the reservoir proposal so far as they were able. Also, Members and officers from the Council and the County Council had visited Rutland Water to assess impacts on the local community and to discuss issues with Members and officers of the local authority, Rutland County Council.
OFWAT, the economic regulator for the water and sewerage industry, had been asked to investigate how Thames Water's balance sheet would be affected by the reservoir as opposed to the effect of Thames Water investing in reducing leaks from its existing infrastructure. Members also queried what assurances Macquarie, Thames Water's new owners, had been given by the Government about the reservoir proposal before it bought the water company. Members considered it would be interesting to know the answer, even if an answer was unlikely to be forthcoming.
The Executive thanked the officers involved for their work.
RESOLVED
(a) that the attached response to Thames Water's Stage 2 consultation be submitted to Thames Water with a covering letter from the Chief Executive, subject to the addition of a statement under the heading of 'Outer Face' regarding the need to protect an alternative route of the Wilts and Berks Canal around the north and west sides of the reservoir and ensure it had a suitable clay base;
(b) that the Chief Executive be requested to advise Thames Water that it is unreasonable to expect the Council to respond to the Stage 2 consultation on the design detail of the reservoir, when the Council's questions on the Stage 1 consultation, on the need for a reservoir, have not yet been answered;
(c) that the Chief Executive be requested to write to the Government Office for the South East seeking funding assistance to assist with its work on the proposed reservoir and to ask how the Government sees the current review of Thames Water's Water Resources Plan influencing the need for a reservoir and how the Government sees the Council involved in it;
(d) that the local Member of Parliament, Ed Vaizey, be advised of the Vale's position and urged to take up its case with the Government, and that neighbouring MPs Evan Harris and Boris Johnson be advised of this position also;
(e) that copies of the response and letter to Thames Water be publicised to Parish and Town Councils, the County Council and South Oxfordshire District Council, and a media release be issued.