Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance, (copy enclosed).

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance advising Members of a response (attached as Appendix 1to the report) which had been submitted on behalf of the Council in response to a national consultation undertaken by the Environment Agency on the Draft National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England (the Strategy).  It was noted that due to the limited timescales of the consultation the response had been sent following agreement of the Chairman of this Committee and was now reported to this Committee for Members’ information.

The Strategy set out some aims for future flood risk management and it was noted that the focus was directed towards resilience rather than protection and placed reliance on partnerships to deliver this.  It was unclear at this stage how funding tools would be applied and the Council’s response highlighted concerns regarding the availability and allocation of funding.  It was noted that without clarification on funding it was difficult to identify how the Strategy would achieve the vision, the steps along the way and what it was hoping to achieve to implement them.

Councillor Mrs P A Channer declared a non-pecuniary interest in this item of business as she lived in Althorne.

Members discussed the report and concern was raised regarding the lack of funding and that the Strategy did not detail how it would be delivered.  It was agreed that further clarification would be made to the Council’s response to question 7a regarding funding to make it clear that without funding details it would be difficult to see how the Strategy would achieve its vision.  It was further agreed that question 1 should be amended to seek clarification on what the Strategy was hoping to achieve including how this would be implemented.

In response to a question regarding the Wallasea Island wetland project, the project was briefly discussed.  Members were advised that the project would not be continuing and the harbour on the River Crouch was currently being removed.

At this point, Councillor Mrs Channer declared a non-pecuniary interest in this item of business as she was a member of the Crouch Harbour Advisory Committee and was on this Committee as part of the Kent and Essex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (KEIFCA).  She advised that presentations were given, and the Crouch Harbour Authority carried out a review of the Wallasea Island Scheme.

RESOLVED that Maldon District Council’s formal response to the Environment Agency consultation on the Draft National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England be updated to include Members’ comments regarding questions 1 and 7a.