Issue - meetings

[Report of the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods.  To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Equalities and Leisure]

To set out the capital and revenue investment in Flood Water management, including drainage programme for 2021/22.

The Cabinet Member for Transformation and Public Realm Investment introduced the report which sought approval for the Flood Water Management Investment Plan (FWMIP) for the 2021/22 financial year.  In line with the Borough Plan 2019-23, the Flood Risk Management Strategy and Asset Management Strategy, the Council would be investing £869,000 into a range of proposals with the aim of flood prevention and drainage improvements to the public realm.

Councillor Bull asked for reassurance that the Council would work with Homes for Haringey to carry out works in Larkspur Close to look at flooding and protecting the culvert from future floods.  The Cabinet Member advised that the Director for Environment and Neighbourhoods was looking at a range of issues and would ensure that joined up working with all partners took place to improve the area.

In response to a question from Councillor Emery, the Cabinet Member advised that paragraph 6.6 of the report outlined the joint bid with local residents to the Environment Agency for flood resilience proposals.

RESOLVED to

1.         Approve the Flood Water Management Investment Plan for the 2021/22 financial year as set out in the attached Appendix 1 of the report.

2.         Give delegated approval to the Head of Highways and Parking, consequential on the Flood Water Management Investment Plan:

·      To make decisions relating to scheme design and implementation;

·      To carry out consultation;

·      To consider representations received in response to consultation and to report significant or substantial concerns back to the relevant Cabinet Member; and

·      To make traffic management orders, where there are no valid objections.

Reasons for Decision

The FWMIP sets out the Council’s flood water management and highways drainage resilience projects for the coming financial year and how they align with the Council’s strategic objectives.

The report provides detail of the funding arrangements and seeks authority to proceed with the development and delivery of these projects. Some of those projects will be subject to appropriate consultation.

Alternative options considered.

No other options were considered. The Council has a statutory obligation to maintain the public highway network.  The Council is the lead local flood authority in the borough and responsible fortaking the lead in managing flood risk from surface water, groundwater, reservoirs, rivers and some of the smaller watercourses. This 2021/22 investment plan has been informed by the Council’s Transport Strategy, Asset Management Strategy and Flood Risk Management Strategy. The projects proposed are those that have already been identified as priorities and start the process of reducing the risk of future flooding in the borough.

The funding for the proposed projects comes from Council resources approved by Cabinet in December 2020 as part of the Capital Programme and external grant received since the approval of the Highways Works Plan 2020/21