Agenda item

The Cabinet Member for Customer Service, Welfare, and the Public Realm considered the report which noted that it was widely recognised that the combined effects of climate change and continuing urban development would give rise to increased flood risk. In London alone, there were many properties that were deemed at risk of flooding. Haringey as well as several other London boroughs experienced flooding from extreme rainfall on two occasions in July 2021.

Haringey was responsible for taking the lead in managing flood risk from surface water, groundwater, reservoir, rivers, and some of the smaller watercourses. In 2010, the Flood and Water Management Act came into effect, and this required the Council to take on the role of ‘lead local flood authority’ (LLFA) for the Haringey area.

It was not possible to completely stop flooding, but steps could be taken to reduce the effect through measures including that of highways drainage resilience works and schemes to prevent unmanaged flooding.

The Flood Water Management Investment Plan (FWMIP) set out the capital investment programme for 2022/2023. Appendix 1 set out the proposed allocation of schemes within the overall programme. This programme had been developed to meet the objectives in the Haringey Local Flood Risk Management Strategy.

The schemes proposed in the Flood Water Management Investment Plan were a 'living document' of proposals which were developed as the Council understood the various issues that had an impact on flooding.

In response to a question from the Cabinet Member, it was noted that officers were hopeful that there would be Greater London Authority (GLA) funding for the Chestnuts Park rainwater masterplan scheme and a decision was expected shortly.

The Cabinet Member RESOLVED

1.    To approve the Flood Water Management Investment Plan for the 2022/23 financial year as set out in the attached Appendix 1.

2.    To delegate decisions relating to flood water management scheme design and implementation to the Head of Highways and Parking.

3.    To authorise the Head of Highways and Parking to carry out any required consultation in accordance with Appendix 2 and to make any necessary traffic orders, having had due regard to any prior consultation, to give effect to those schemes.

4.    To authorise the Head of Highways and Parking to consider any objections and representations and to report back to the Cabinet Member for Customer Service, Welfare and the Public Realm if there are significant or substantial objections or concerns raised; and

5.    To agree to a review of policy to allow a more robust approach in dissuading the conversion of existing property frontages from soft landscaping to hard landscaping in the face of the global climate crisis.

6.    To agree to vire £355k from the Borough Roads budget to the Flood Water Management budget.

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, 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 is responsible for taking the lead in managing flood risk from surface water, groundwater, reservoir, rivers and some of the smaller watercourses. This 2022/23 investment plan has been informed by the Council’s Transport Strategy, Local Flood Risk Management Strategy and a developing Asset Management Strategy. The projects proposed are those that have already been identified as priorities to further reduce the risk of future flooding in the borough.

The funding for the proposed projects comes from Council resources approved by Cabinet as part of the Capital Programme and from external grants or contributions that have been received or are proposed.