Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Climate change in Tuvalu wikipedia , lookup
Solar radiation management wikipedia , lookup
Surveys of scientists' views on climate change wikipedia , lookup
IPCC Fourth Assessment Report wikipedia , lookup
Climate change, industry and society wikipedia , lookup
Effects of global warming on human health wikipedia , lookup
Climate change and poverty wikipedia , lookup
item 3 Select Committee – Environment, Housing & Transport and Safer & Stronger Communities Date: 14 April 2010 Commission on Flood Risk Management – Final Report Report of the Select Committee – Environment, Housing & Transport and Safer & Stronger Communities Cabinet Portfolio/Lead Members: Cllr Alan Kerr, Deputy Leader and Cllr Joanne Bell, Lead Member for Innovation and Safer and Stronger Communities Why has the Report come to Select Committee? 1. This is the final report of the Committee’s Commission on Flood Risk Management in the Borough. How is this linked with the Community Strategy aims and objectives? 2. Flood risk management supports the Local Area Agreement priority themes of ‘building a sustainable environment with great housing and transport links’ and ‘making communities safer and stronger’. What are Members asked to do? 3. Members are asked to consider the report and its recommendations, with a view to submitting it to Cabinet and other LSP partners. How will Members views make a difference? 4. Members’ views are vital to ensure that the Commission makes recommendations on the areas they feel are the most important Performing Together A3/1: Adapting to and Managing the Effects of Climate Change Reference: Contact Officer: Paul Baldasera, Scrutiny Policy Officer, Ext 6002 scrutiny scrutiny scrutiny scrutiny scrutiny scrutiny scrutiny Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) Introduction 5. In 2004 the Government launched the consultation document ‘Making Space for Water’ with the purpose of establishing a new strategic vision for flood and coastal erosion risk management. 6. The Government accepted that a change was required to reflect climate change projections and that the existing legislation was outdated and in urgent need of replacing. The aim was to manage risks by employing an integrated portfolio of approaches that reflects both national and local priorities. 7. The implementation of legislative provisions was given subsequent impetus as a result of the 2007 floods. 8. The flooding experienced in summer 2007 affecting large areas of the UK, most notably Yorkshire and Humber, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, represented the country’s largest peacetime emergency since World War II. 9. Sir Michael Pitt was asked by Ministers to conduct an independent review of the flooding emergency that took place in June and July 2007 and associated emergency response mechanisms. The Government asked that the process should be both thorough and independent; a fair assessment of what happened and what should be done differently. 10. Sir Michael Pitt launched his final report The Pitt Review: Lessons learned from the 2007 floods on 25th June 2008. The Government accepted the report and published its detailed response in December 2008. 11. The interim conclusions of the Review were published in a report in December 2007, and views were sought through an extensive consultation exercise lasting three months. Conferences were held in every region, with well over 1,000 professionals from relevant fields attending to share their views. Council Officers contributed to that consultation process. 12. The Final Report is positive where it can be, but demanding where change is needed. The Report runs to some 462 pages, arranged in 8 Sections comprising 31 Chapters. It makes 92 recommendations, many of which are either directly or indirectly relevant to the Council in terms of its future role in relation to flood risk management. The 92 recommendations are summarised in Annex 1. 13. Two of the Final Report recommendations are of particular relevance for consideration by the Select Committee at this stage: Recommendation 90: All upper tier local authorities should establish Oversight and Scrutiny Committees to review work by public sector bodies and essential service providers in order to manage flood risk, underpinned by a legal requirement to cooperate and share information. 582753470 14 April 2010 Final Page 2 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) Recommendation 91: Each Oversight and Scrutiny Committee should prepare an annual summary of actions taken locally to manage flood risk and implement this Review, and these reports should be public and reviewed by Government Offices and the Environment Agency. 14. A key element of the Government response to the Pitt Review is the publication of the Flood and Water Management Bill, which is intended to update and streamline current laws under a single unifying Act that addresses all sources of flooding, clarifies responsibilities and facilitates effective flood risk management. The Bill is expected to receive Royal Assent in the summer of 2010 and will establish a significant and leading role for local authorities. What are the Council’s Current Responsibilities? 15. Flood risk management is a complex area of work involving a wide range of organisations and individuals, each with important contributions to make. 16. The Council has a leading role and a range of responsibilities that it must fulfil. These can be summarised: As a ‘Coast Operating Authority’ the Council is required to adopt and implement a formal policy statement for Flood Defence Management which outlines its objectives and how these objectives address Defra guidance requirements (High Level Targets for Flood and Coastal Defence Operating Authorities). It is also responsible for land drainage and for flood defence activities in respect of the Borough’s ‘ordinary watercourses’ ie all watercourses other than the River Tyne and River Don. As a ‘Lead Local Flood Authority’ the Council is now required, under the Flood Risk Regulations 2009, to undertake a preliminary flood risk assessment and where appropriate develop flood risk management plans. As ‘Local Planning Authority’ the Council is required to draw up a strategic flood risk assessment and to take account of that in its Local Development Framework, as well as taking into account flood risk when determining individual planning applications. As a ‘Category 1 Responder’ for the purposes of the Civil Contingencies Act the Council is required to assess the risk of emergencies, such as flooding occurring and to develop fit-for-purpose plans to prevent, respond to, and recover from such emergencies. As a ‘Highways Authority’ the Council has responsibilities for providing and maintaining adequate and effective highways drainage infrastructure. 582753470 14 April 2010 Final Page 3 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) As a ‘Public Health Authority’ the Council has enforcement responsibilities in respect of defective private drains and sewers, cesspools, land drainage, ponds and ditches. As a ‘landowner’ the Council is responsible for ensuring the adequate drainage of its land and buildings. As a ‘property-owner’ the Council is responsible for ensuring that its property portfolio is reasonably resilient to flood water inundation. What the Council have done to meet these responsibilities 17. In April 2005 Defra published a series of ‘High Level Targets for Flood and Coastal Defence Operating Authorities’. The first target required each operating authority to publish a policy statement setting out their plans for delivering the Government’s policy aim and objectives in their area. 18. Such a policy statement was adopted by Borough Council at its meeting of 24 February 2006 and was subsequently restated when Council adopted the updated Coastal Management Strategy in September 2007. That policy statement was submitted to Defra and the Environment Agency. 19. Further emphasis was placed on local authority performance in relation to flood and coastal risk management, through the introduction of National Indicator 189. The aim of this indicator is to record the progress of local authorities in delivering agreed actions to implement long term flood and coastal erosion risk management plans. In the first year of the agreed 3 year action plan the Council was able to submit a return of 100% for delivery of those actions. 20. A Strategic Flood Risk Assessment was commissioned in 2006 and has been used to help inform our Local Development Framework, assist in determining individual applications for planning consent and for resilience planning purposes. The Strategic Flood Risk Assessment is currently being updated to take account of flood risk from surface water, groundwater and artificial drainage systems, as well as taking account of the predicted effects of climate change, which were previously not considered. This will require collaborative working with a range of partners including the Environment Agency and Northumbrian Water Ltd. 21. In terms of resilience planning, all forms of flooding and other severe weather events have been identified as key risks confronting the Borough. To support the Council’s Emergency Response Plan, in 2005-06 a set of Arrangements for Responding to Flooding Incidents was developed. These were developed in collaboration with key partners, including Northumbrian Water Ltd and the Environment Agency as well as with the emergency services, PCT and WRVS. The arrangements have recently been further 582753470 14 April 2010 Final Page 4 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) reviewed and updated in line with national guidance issued following the Pitt Review. 22. The Council is represented on the Northumbria Local Resilience Forum and the South Tyneside Local Responders Group, where flood emergency response is considered in a multi-agency setting. The aim of the Northumbria Local Resilience Forum is to ensure that the duties set out in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 are delivered within a multi-agency environment. The local responder group looks at South Tyneside resilience planning issues and develops local multi-agency plans and arrangements. These multi-agency settings play a key role in enhancing flood response planning in South Tyneside. 23. The Council participates in a wide range of regular multi-agency emergency exercises that are coordinated through the Northumbria Local Resilience Forum. The main multi-agency exercise in the annual calendar is known as the Norland Exercise which aims to exercise responder organisations emergency response and post-emergency recovery arrangements in complex scenarios. The 2008 Norland scenario was based on a widespread flooding event. 24. To support our flood emergency arrangements, leaflets have been produced which provide information for residents on how to protect their homes from flooding and the action that needs to be taken in the event of flooding. The Council’s website also has dedicated sections for flood response and recovery. 25. A significant piece of work currently being developed is the Community Resilience Strategy, which is concerned with ensuring that all sectors of the community are better prepared to withstand disruptive events and emergencies. An element of this will focus on the important role of public bodies, utilities, businesses, voluntary agencies, landowners/landlords and individuals in taking action to minimise the risk of emergencies such as flooding occurring as well as ensuring preparedness should they occur. 26. In our Environment Strategy we have identified a number of relevant priority actions under the objective of ‘Meeting the Challenge of Climate Change’, including: Developing a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan – a key strand of that will focus on flood risk management and flood prevention. Ensuring that emergency response arrangements are fit-for-purpose and capable of responding to the consequences of climate change – this action extends not only to multi-agency response arrangements but also to increasing the resilience of critical local infrastructure. 582753470 14 April 2010 Final Page 5 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) Reviewing and strengthening our Strategic Flood Risk Assessment and developing Surface Water Management Plans for the Borough. Developing a ‘Climate Change Toolkit’ and support mechanisms for local businesses, schools and community groups – this will extend to climate change impacts and the increased probability of extreme weather conditions and flooding incidents. 27. A key area of operational flood prevention activity is concerned with the provision and maintenance of highways drainage infrastructure, which is a responsibility of the Sustainable Communities Service. 28. Surcharge from highways drains and gullies are commonly observed during severe rainfall events and are often believed to be symptomatic of blocked highways drains and silted-up gullies. It is in fact more often the case that the highways drainage infrastructure is fully operational but that the public sewers into which those drains discharge have insufficient capacity to receive the volume of water being generated. 29. The highway drainage infrastructure is prone to damage by third party organisations such as utility contractors and also blockage by tree roots. Such damage is time consuming to identify and requires constant technical input. 30. The Sustainable Communities Service operates in accordance with the highways best value code of practice which recommends that all road gullies should be emptied on an annual basis. In fact the current regime surpasses this requirement with gullies emptied once every 9 months. Gullies in areas known to be prone to flooding are emptied on a more frequent basis. 24 hour cover is in place for emergency highway flooding incidents with extra resources available from external organisations if required. Culverts and land drainage infrastructure are also inspected and cleaned to ensure satisfactory operation. 31. The Environmental Health Residential Services Team is responsible for investigating and resolving problems associated with blocked and defective drainage systems that do not form part of the public sewerage system. They also have a legal responsibility to ensure that land drainage infrastructure, ponds and ditches are functional and do not give rise to a public nuisance. Where defects are identified that cause a public health nuisance then enforcement mechanisms are applied to ensure that the necessary works are undertaken to address the statutory nuisance. 32. In terms of it’s responsibilities as a land and property owner, the Council maintains its property portfolio so as to take account of the requirements to provide for adequate drainage. Further work is required, however, to ensure that our buildings (including Council Housing) are, where appropriate, made more resilient to flood events. This work is being taken forward by officers in 582753470 14 April 2010 Final Page 6 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) Asset Management with support from Housing Strategy and Regulatory Services. Purpose of the Commission 33. The Commission gave Scrutiny Members the opportunity to examine how the Council and a wide range of partner organisations are working together to manage flood risk in the Borough and to establish if there are ways in which we can improve our performance. 34. In order to investigate local flood risk management activities, Members agreed the following terms of reference: Exploration of the Council’s roles, responsibilities and priorities in relation to flood risk management. Exploration of external partner organisations’ roles, responsibilities and priorities in relation to flood risk management. Examination of national policy drivers and how these need to be translated to meet local circumstances. Examination of flooding risks in the Borough, including recent past flood events. Exploration of existing delivery mechanisms, plans and practices and how our priorities are determined. Review the finance and insurance implications for the Council associated with flood risk management. Assessment of current performance and costs associated and how we compare to other authorities. Consultation 35. The Commission gathered evidence from a variety of sources, including information provided by Officers and external partners, such as: Assistant Head of Housing Strategy and Regulatory Services Head of Sustainable Communities Environmental Health - Residential Services Manager Area Planning Manager Emergency Planning and Response Coordinator South Tyneside Homes Environment Agency Area Flood Risk Manager Northumbrian Water Limited Other Utility Companies 582753470 14 April 2010 Final Page 7 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) Meteorological Office Climate North East Government Office for the North East Royal Haskoning Fire and Rescue Service Northumbria Police Individuals/organisations affected by local flood events 36. The Commission also included a trip to Hull to hear about their experience of the floods of 2007 and the lessons responder organisations identified and are learning from. Timetable 37. The Commission commenced in September 2009 and concluded in February 2010. What we found out 38. Over a series of meetings, Members gathered evidence about the way the Council and its partners were planning for and responding to flood events. Details of these meetings are set out below. Session 1 - Introduction and Site Visits (4 September 2009) 39. The Assistant Head of Housing Strategy and Regulatory Services delivered an introductory presentation highlighting the purpose of the Commission and provided an overview of the key issues and impacts of flooding issues. 40. A series of short film footage and still images were then screened to the Commission, depicting examples from various locations in South Tyneside in 2005 and 2007, including Tyne Dock, Crossgate, Reay Crescent and River Don, as well as events further afield such as Boscastle in 2004, Southern England and Yorkshire in 2007, Morpeth in 2008 and Durham in 2009. 41. Both the stills and film clips gave a clear indication of the devastation suffered by residents and businesses and problems to the infrastructure, power, water supplies and water treatment systems. Key points raised were: It is important to get a full understanding and recognition of the emotional impact of flooding on people’s lives. South Tyneside Council’s handling of flooding incidents was felt to be good and Officers seemed to demonstrate compassion when dealing with residents. 582753470 14 April 2010 Final Page 8 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) There are regular partnership meetings with Northumbrian Water, on a quarterly basis, and relationships were much improved and working very well. Partners need to have due regard to value for money when considering schemes to alleviate the effects of flooding. In terms of the flood alleviation schemes now in place at Newlands Court and Ullswater Gardens, it was important that the correct engineering solution and was funding identified before progressing with a scheme. It was stated that the Newlands Court Flood Alleviation Scheme had originally been costed at £900,000, but because of delays arising from prioritisation of other schemes this was now standing at £2.6m. It is essential to understand the severity and how quickly flooding can make an impact. 42. This concluded the public part of the meeting and Members proceeded to a site visit. What we found out on the Site Visit Ocean Road, South Shields 43. There had been problems with flooding in this area for a number of years, affecting homes and businesses. Littlehaven Car Park 44. The sea wall was frequently over-topped by the sea leading to flooding of the car park. The sea wall is located on an incorrect alignment and as such was subject to significant wave energy which had resulted in its poor condition. The Council had secured funding from Defra and had appointed consultants to identify an appropriate solution. This work was due to be concluded within the next few months and would enable a fully costed detailed design and funding bid to be progressed. 45. There was also a strategy study being undertaken into how the sand dunes are managed. The pressure of the sea moves the dunes backwards and recreational pressures cause the depletion of the dune system. The continued erosion of the dunes will cause a decrease in the natural flood defence of the dunes if further management practices are not applied. Newlands Court 46. The Commission took the opportunity of meeting with a couple who had suffered several floods, in order to hear a first hand account of how flooding had impacted on their lives. 582753470 14 April 2010 Final Page 9 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) 47. The couple explained the number of incidents experienced since 2002 and outlined the various problems encountered: Moving out for 6 months during one of the flood episodes. Recurrence of incident, moving out for 2 years. On a separate flood incident, living only upstairs in their property. Involvement of many Council Officers and agency officials. The various methods of alleviation tried, failing and re-visited. With each situation the treatment improved, until the final agreement of the installation of the flood alleviation scheme. The emotional impact on their health and personal lives. Handling of the situation by the various agencies, some more sensitive to and understanding of the personal side of the situation than others. Experience of how the insurance company had handled claims. In this particular case the insurance company had been excellent; other neighbours had not been so fortunate. Insurance companies handling of such cases also had an impact, particularly at such stressful times. South Tyneside Homes and South Tyneside Council partnership had worked very well together in dealing with the flooding problems. Communications were excellent and minimised further possible issues. The couple praised the standard of work from both organisations. Some of the external agencies did not work at the same pace. In this case the Gas Board had held matters up for some time. It was felt that all partners needed to be onboard together in terms of communication and resolution to problems. Cleadon Lea, Cleadon 48. The Council and the Church Commissioners have joint responsibility for the land to the north of the Cleadon Lea estate. The land drainage in this area needs to be improved in order to minimise the risk of flooding to nearby properties. The Council had recently commissioned a study by consultants to identify appropriate measures that could be taken to alleviate flooding issues in the area. Short-term solutions have been to re-lay the footpath by the fields, implement a regular clearing of the ditch and ensure that the drainage systems are flowing freely. Lukes Lane Estate, Hebburn 49. Flood affected areas were visited. These were often sporadic floods. The flooding in Eastbourne Parade came from the playing fields. Other areas suffered from drainage problems, which were currently being addressed with Neighbourhood Services. On route to the next site, Members passed the 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 10 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) areas of Finchale Road, Solway Road and Arlington Road, noting the problems at certain points associated with heavy sudden rainfall. Thirlmere Court, Hebburn 50. Problems in this area had been addressed and a number of additional gullies had been installed, however the capacity to take the flow was insufficient. Tyne Tunnel Approach Road 51. The road at the bottom of Church Bank had severe flooding problems. The two side-entry gullies were prone to blocking with tin cans and rubbish due to approximately 30% of the pipes having concreted sediment in them. Tyne Dock 52. The problem in this area was the main sewer and silting up of pipes. Northumbrian Water had invested a lot over the past few years investigating the problems. 53. The tidal flow also had an impact on flooding in this area. 54. Due to time constraints the Ullswater Gardens site visit was omitted. The Chairman agreed that information on this scheme be brought to the next meeting. Sessions 2 - Role and Responsibilities of the Council and Partner /External Organisations (9 October 2009) Ullswater Gardens 55. Members were shown DVD footage of the work undertaken by Northumbrian Water to address problems in Ullswater Gardens. 56. There was confusion amongst residents about the type of flooding which necessitated a solution involving extensive work, such as was shown in the DVD, and flooding problems which could be resolved more easily. 57. The Assistant Head of Housing Strategy and Regulatory Services agreed that there was often a lack of understanding about the different types of problems associated with flooding, which might involve maintenance of existing systems or require more comprehensive engineering solutions. Introductory Presentation 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 11 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) 58. The Assistant Head of Housing Strategy and Regulatory Services provided a brief outline of Integrated Emergency Management and how this guided the activities of the Council and partners in the management of flood risk. 59. He then introduced a series of presentations from Officers within the Council and South Tyneside Homes on the different roles in managing flood events. 60. Whilst South Tyneside had not been as affected by flooding as other parts of the country over the past few years, it had, nevertheless, been necessary for the Council to respond to flooding events. Members heard that lessons had been identified from these experiences and flood response had improved in light of these. 61. Northumbrian Water had spent a considerable amount of money cleaning out and removing silt from sewage pipes, to resolve the problem of flooding at Tyne Dock. There had been no recurrence of the problem in the past 18 months. 62. Business and residents flushing cement and building materials down the drains had contributed to the problem but it was very difficult to prove who had caused these problems unless incidents were witnessed. However, Members felt that the planning process should include a requirement for all businesses/home owners to clear away building materials and waste in an appropriate manner. 63. Each of the following presentations included information on what the role involved, what was done well and what could be improved: Evaluating Climate Changes Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Coastal Management Area Planning and Spatial Planning Highways Maintenance Resilience Planning – Preparation Resilience Planning – Flood Response and Recovery South Tyneside Homes Evaluating Climate Change 64. The Council had recently adopted its Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, and, as with most other Councils, was at an early stage of the process needing to identify key risks and vulnerabilities. This was reflected in Strategy’s Action Plan, which would take the authority to 2012. The strategy is based on three themes, those being managing flood risk, managing extreme temperatures and managing water resources. 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 12 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) 65. Members discussed climate change and the reliability of evidence backing up long-term projections. The Assistant Head of Housing Strategy and Regulatory Services stated that there was a compelling body of evidence that demonstrated the climate was changing, and that it was important to acknowledge that a key consequence would be an increase in flooding events. 66. This was an issue that was explored in more detail at a later meeting of the Commission involving a representative from the Meteorological Office, Climate North East and Royal Haskoning talking about the North East Climate Change Strategy (see para 191) Coastal Management 67. South Tyneside had been successful in receiving a significant amount of funding towards coastal management, having been able to demonstrate to the Environment Agency that projects were technically and economically sound. 68. One example was the Trow Quarry scheme, completed in 2008, which had benefited from £1.84 million grant aid funding and offered protection for that coastal frontage for at least 50 years. 69. The consultant that had been appointed earlier in the year was progressing with the option appraisal work for a realigned sea wall at Littlehaven. 70. In addition, the Council had been successful in putting a case before the Environment Agency’s Project Appraisal Board, and had received just over £200,000 to undertake an Options Appraisal and detailed design work. The intention was next to take the case to the Environment Agency’s National Review Group in summer 2010, to seek £2.1 million to undertake the necessary work. 71. The most probable course of action would be to re-align the sea wall in order that it can respond better to increased tidal surges. 72. It was suggested that people often forgot about the cost of such projects and how well these were managed and maintained by Officers. Area and Spatial Planning 73. In the event that a housing development proposal was in a flood zone, the scheme had to pass the ‘exceptions test’ which is (a) a demonstration that the development provided wider sustainability benefits to the community that outweighed the flood risk and (b) the site should be previously developed land; and (c) the development would be safe without increasing flood risk elsewhere and, where possible, reduce flood risk overall. 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 13 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) 74. Many existing drainage systems could cause problems of flooding, pollution or damage to the environment and were not proving to be sustainable. The use of SUDS (Sustainable Drainage Systems) had been developed to assist where standard drainage systems could not cope. A site-specific flood risk assessment considered the issue relating to surface water drainage and determined whether SUDS were necessary. Strategic Flood Risk Assessment 75. Local Authorities are required to produce Strategic Flood Risk Assessments, which are Strategic documents that form the initial building blocks for integrated flood risk management. 76. A Strategic Flood Risk Assessment examines the whole of the Borough and identifies areas of increased flood risk from all sources of flooding, whilst allowing areas to be assigned to broad categories and prioritising these in ascending order as flood risk zones 1 to 3 (ie where 1 is the lowest and 3 is the highest flood risk). 77. The use of Strategic Flood Risk Assessments has extended far beyond their initial planning purpose and they have become useful in tool in Emergency Planning, Flood Risk Management and Highways Drainage. 78. The Council commissioned its first Strategic Flood Risk Assessment in 2006 and has recently appointed consultants to provide an updated Assessment that will take account of climate change projections and information from partner organisations. Highways Maintenance 79. Gully cleaning was a significant issue for residents and this was further compounded by confusion about what the cleaning regime was and what the machine actually did. 80. There were a number of different parts to this operation. The operator would look to see if the gully was clear and the machine removed any debris or silt. Water was then flushed down the gully, using a pressure machine hose, to make sure there were no blockages. If there were a repeat problem in a particular gully/area, this would suggest a blockage somewhere in the pipe. 81. Members noted that across the Borough quite a few manhole and gully covers were lost as they had a scrap value (often stolen at a rate of 20/30 a day). Often people used vans to take the covers (they would park over the manhole/gully and take the cover through a hole in the bottom of the van). Stolen covers were being replaced with new nylon covers, which were as strong as those currently used, but had no scrap value so should not be prone to further theft. 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 14 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) Resilience Planning: Preparation and Flood Response/Recovery 82. Preparation for disruptive challenges and emergencies is carried out in a multi-agency way at the local, sub-regional and regional level. Good working relationships are in place at all levels with other Category 1 and 2 Responder organisations. Tried and tested multi-agency plans are in place but there is scope for improvement. 83. Council officers are utilising technologies such as Geographical Information Systems to identify flooding hotspots in the Borough and this intelligence is used to underpin the development of new multi-agency flood response plans. 84. Knowing the locations susceptible to flooding and being able to predict when they may flood is something that needs improving. Information needs to be made more readily available for residents and businesses in advance of flooding events. The Environment Agency operates a flood warning service which will send out alerts and warnings to subscribing residents. However, the service is optional and not all residents are aware of it. 85. The Council has tried and tested emergency response arrangements in place, which are coordinated by designated Incident Controllers and Site Co-ordinating Officers. The designated Incident Controller will manage the response to the disruptive challenge from the Incident Response Room at Barrington Street, South Shields. Key response tasks are identified through the Council’s Emergency Response Plan and supporting arrangements. These arrangements are exercised regularly. 86. The Council has successfully orchestrated the recovery process for small scale flooding events. Flexible and adaptable recovery arrangements have been developed and aim to bring together the right people, at the right time and from the right level to organise post-emergency recovery efforts. South Tyneside Homes 87. There was an insurance package offered to residents of South Tyneside Homes which Members felt should be better marketed to customers. The Head of Property Services indicated he would need to discuss any plans to further promote the insurance package offered with the Director of Housing and Communications and bring this information back to a future meeting. 88. Members heard that South Tyneside Homes had a good working relationship with partner agencies and exemplary relationships with internal colleagues. Partner Agencies 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 15 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) 89. Members received a series of presentations from Officers within the following Partner Organisations, on their roles in relation to managing flood events: Meteorological Office Environment Agency Northumbrian Water Ltd Fire and Rescue Service Northumbria Police NEDL (Northern Electrician Distribution) Meteorological Office 90. The Council’s Emergency Planning and Response Co-ordinator provided this presentation on behalf of the Met Office. 91. The Meteorological Office does not forecast flooding from rivers or the sea (this is the responsibility of the Environment Agency) but do issue early warnings of severe weather, including heavy rain as part of the National Severe Weather Warning Service. Part of this service is the provision of a designated Public Weather Service advisor who is on hand to provide more detailed meteorological advice and guidance for Category 1 and 2 responder organisations. This service has been used extensively during flooding and other severe weather events. 92. Flood warnings are issued by the Meteorological Office and are then faxed and emailed through to different locations in the Council. All designated Incident Controllers and Site Coordinating Officers receive the warnings electronically as they are issued through a forwarding system developed by Environmental Health and Resilience. 93. A 24/7 Response Centre, based in Exeter, and a Flood Forecast Centre, which was set up in April 2009 (responsible for the new Extreme Rainfall Alert Service) issue additional, detailed flood warnings. 94. A new web-based portal has been established which can provide subscribers with live weather data which can be used to inform the emergency response to a flooding event. This new system will prove to be invaluable in weather related disruptive challenges and will help the Council to be proactive rather than reactive to severe weather events. Environment Agency 95. A co-ordinated effort was needed in responding to flood events. Members were told that Officers within the Environment Agency had excellent working relationships with Officers from South Tyneside Council. 96. It was a big challenge for the Agency to map all areas susceptible to surface water flooding, as was sharing information effectively. Surface water data 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 16 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) has been supplied to the Council and this is being used as one of the sources of evidence to underpin the development of multi-agency flood plans. 97. At the present time the flood warning system was causing confusion to residents, as a result of which it was hoped to change the system from a four tier warning system to a two tier system. These changes will be implemented in the summer of 2010 and all flood response plans will need to be updated to reflect the new system and procedures. 98. The Agency works very closely with the Flood Forecast Centre to predict surface water flooding events. However, due to the inherent complexity of surface water flooding, it is difficult for to predict exactly where problems will arise. Local knowledge was felt to be key in predicting and mapping surface water events. 99. The Flood and Water Management Bill would specify individual agency responsibilities for coordinating information on flood risk. Northumbrian Water 100. The Sewage Operations Manager provided Members with this presentation that included information on Northumbrian Water’s role as a sewage undertaker, in resolving sewer flooding. 101. A Strategic Direction Statement published in 2007 set out the organisation’s aims for the next 25 years and beyond. 102. Areas to be tackled in the future included the need to reduce blockages (particularly FOG [fats, oil and grease] and food waste) and knowledge and data sharing. Members noted that a trial was currently taking place in Ocean Road, South Shields, with regard to reducing blockages. 103. Inspectors monitored what was placed in the drains and the organisation responsible was prosecuted where necessary. In most cases, however, people were unaware of the problems they were causing and would genuinely try and rectify the problem. 104. With regard to brick sewers, Northumbrian Water had a CCTV programme which looked at what were known as grade 4 sewers. Officers would deal with any sewers in a poor condition as and when they came across them. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service 105. The Group Officer, South Tyneside and the Group Manager (Resilience 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 17 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) /Emergency Planning) gave information on the organisation’s regional commitment to flood response, specialist risk teams, high volume pump machine and rescuer training (inclusive of river training, swift water rescue and ice training). 106. Members were also provided with details of flooding events at Morpeth, Blackhall Mill and Ousburn and shown video footage of Officers carrying out realistic rescue training exercises. 107. A Member outlined a situation that had occurred in Hebburn, whereby Fire and Rescue Officers arrived on the scene, but informed residents they were not allowed to start the pump until water had actually entered the house. 108. The Group Manager explained that ultimately the Service was concerned with the risk to people’s lives and, in this type of situation, until the water entered the property this risk was not present. The Service was required to carry out risk assessments on where to place their appliances /equipment (resources would go where the need was greatest). Northumbria Police 109. The Council‘s Emergency Planning and Response Co-ordinator provided this presentation on behalf of Northumbria Police. 110. The presentation included information on the levels of central co-ordination (along with triggers and responses) the Flooding Command Structure, multi agency co-ordination, resources and emergency preparedness. 111. Coordination of emergencies has a three level approach: Multi-Agency Strategic Coordinating Group (SCG)/Single Agency Gold Chief Executive /Chief Officer level Responsible for determining the overall policy and strategy for the incident. Multi-Agency Tactical Coordinating Group (TCG)/Single Agency Silver Incident Officers Responsible for making tactical decisions regarding actions at the scene. Multi-Agency Operational/Single Agency Bronze Bronze Commanders Responsible for implementing the response at the scene. 112. A key responsibility of the Police was to coordinate the multi-agency response. NEDL (Northern Electrical Distribution) 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 18 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) 113. NEDL and YEDL (Yorkshire Electricity Distribution Limited) were subsidiaries of CE Electric UK Network. NEDL and YEDL held the licenses to distribute electricity throughout the North East, Yorkshire and Humber and North Lincolnshire areas. 114. Members were also provided with information on the severe flooding of 2000 and the flooding of Walham Sub-Station in June 2009. Session 3 - The Story of Summer 2007 and the Pitt Review (October 2009) 115. The floods of 2007 claimed 14 lives and caused 55,000 people and 6,000 businesses to move from the area where they were located, and involved the largest ever peacetime rescue effort. 116. Much of the presentation focussed on the worst hit county, Gloucestershire, where the flood left in excess of 350,000 people without safe piped water for up to 21 days. 117. Members were also shown a brief video of the floods, made by a student undertaking a Journalism Degree, which it was considered highlighted the scale of the problem. 118. The Residential Services Manager explained that the roles of the different organisations involved in flood risk management aim to minimise the recurrence of such major incidents. 119. Members were interested in particular the defence of Walham Sub-Station and its close proximity to infrastructure and rivers. It was suggested that shareholders were now looking at putting a flood defence system in place to prevent further problems in the future. 120. Whilst some Members commented that the problems highlighted in the presentation and video did not directly relate to the situation in South Tyneside, the Chairman suggested that Members should keep in mind predictions that the weather was going to get wetter which would increase the possibility that such an event could happen in South Tyneside. 121. As an example, the Residential Services Manager highlighted problems closer to home, in Durham, where at the beginning of June the river was only 2ft short of one of the main bridges. 122. Members noted that NEDL and Northumbrian Water work together to identify the main risks and were putting plans in place to manage these. Pitt Review 123. Members received a presentation from the Assistant Director (Operations and Resilience) Government Office for the North East on the Pitt Review, 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 19 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) why this is so important and the wider Government response to the 2007 floods. 124. The presentation included a map of the Borough, showing the areas most at risk from flooding. In South Tyneside problems are largely concerned with surface water rather than river or coastal flooding. 125. Following the sudden events of 2007 that arrived without much warning and resulted in massive financial losses, the Government asked Sir Michael Pitt to carry out a comprehensive Review of lessons learnt from the floods. 126. The Review (beginning in August 2007 with the final report to Government in June 2008) made 92 recommendations to Government; 15 where Local Authorities had lead or implementing roles. 127. Actions to date were outlined in the presentation for Members’ information, inclusive of the Flood and Water Management Bill and information on the six monthly monitoring reports. 128. The Council is working with the Environment Agency to look at reservoir safety and what actions would need to be taken if a dam broke. This work arose from the Pitt Review and covered reservoirs owned by major water utilities and others. 129. All of the work that needs to take place to respond to the Pitt Review requires a lot of time and effort from all organisations working together. 130. The infrastructure of our sewerage system is old and, in some places dating back to the Victorian era. Concerns have been raised and these are to be taken forward when looking at how to develop and recover the infrastructure. 131. Members discussed the risk-based approach of placing huge resources into events that might only occur 1/200 years. 132. Pitt did argue the risk based approach, however also acknowledged information from the Environment Agency and the Meteorological Office suggesting that there was an increased risk of extreme events happening more often and becoming more localised. 133. There are a large number of people in the borough uninsured against flooding. Members were concerned about the need to enable people living in flood risk areas to become insured for a limited amount, enough to enable them to move on following an event. 134. The Assistant Director agreed that this was an issue of concern but said he was not aware of any changes to current insurance schemes or of any new schemes for those at risk of flooding. 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 20 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) Draft Flood and Water Management Bill 135. The Flood Risk Management Team Leader, Environment Agency, provided Members with a presentation on the Draft Flood and Water Management Bill. 136. The presentation included some background information, set out what the Bill had proposed, provided details of supplementary powers for the Environment Agency and Lead Local Flood Authorities and listed problems and challenges for partners 137. The Team Leader also stressed the importance of all agencies working together in partnership to address the challenges posed by the Bill. 138. The Reservoirs Act 1975 sets out in detail what actions the owners of reservoirs have to take. The Act defines a reservoir as a raised structure impounding up to 25 cubic metres of water. 139. The Chairman indicated there were two areas, which she felt needed to be looked into: How the Authority can ensure people are not building in areas at risk of flooding and what powers Officers have to say someone cannot build in a specific area; and A need for more trained engineers, which she felt could be an opportunity for apprenticeships. 140. Members received a second presentation on the Draft Flood and Water Management Bill, from the Environmental Protection Officer. This presentation largely focussed on how the Bill will impact on the Council. 141. The Environmental Protection Officer explained responsibility for removing items that have been discarded into streams/rivers is an area that needs to be clarified, particularly in light of the fact that it is proposed to introduce a statutory nuisance for this type of offence. 142. Whilst it is not compulsory for partners to work together there are powers in the Bill relating to the sharing of information. However, as organisations are now working closer than they had done in the past, it is hoped there would be no need to use these formal powers. 143. Whilst the Pitt Review recommended there should be no new financial burden for Local Government the Draft Bill then introduced a number of measures the Council as a Lead Local Flood Authority would have to take on for which there is no additional funding. 144. With regard to Local Authorities adopting and maintaining Sustainable Draining Systems, the Highways Manager informed Members that there were concerns that the Council is to receive no additional resources to carry 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 21 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) out what is a complicated task and there is uncertainty as to where in the Council this responsibility would be placed. 145. It was suggested members of the public should be made aware of the problems caused by placing unsuitable materials down the drains and the cost to the Authority and other organisations. 146. Officers from the Environmental Health and Resilience Service inspect and respond to any complaints about private drains and sewerage systems. Northumbrian Water is responsible for private systems only when they become connected to the main sewerage network, and until that point maintenance of the system is the responsibility of the resident. Session 4 - How Resilient is the Council to Flooding Events (11 November 2009) 147. A number of Council buildings were susceptible to flooding as they had basements which were below ground level. Buildings which had suffered from problems with flooding included Bedewell Primary School, Hedworth Primary School and Ocean Road Community Centre. 148. The Highways Section was responsible for adopted highways, however a lot of land, passed over to South Tyneside Homes, was the responsibility of the Estate Management Section; this section also had responsibility for managing 100 civic buildings, youth clubs, factories, shops, miscellaneous buildings and riverside structures. 149. There was a very limited budget (£1.9 million) to manage all of the Council’s land and buildings. Further to this, there were budget restrictions and insurance limitations. 2009-10 has seen a reduction of 20% which had resulted in a £1.5 million capital programme to cover all buildings inclusive of work to roofs, rewiring, door and window replacement, decoration and dealing with flooding issues. 150. As regards insurance, there was an excess of £1 million, which caused lots of problems (some Riverside structures and Jetties were uninsured) and there had been no insurance claims at the date of the presentation. Many organisations such as community centres took out private insurance with regard to flooding. 151. The Estate Management Team tended to respond to flooding issues on a reactionary basis, working with partners and those affected to resolve problems. 152. Flooding issues were taken into account when extensions or alternations to existing buildings were being considered. 153. Since 2005 buildings had been closed a total of 11 days as a result of flooding (Bedewell Primary school had been closed for a number of days, 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 22 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) Bedewell Excellence Centre for 3 days, Fellgate Primary School for 2 days and Ocean Road Community Centre for 1 day). 154. Ongoing flood problems with larger cost implications (for example Hedworth Allotments, Cornthwaite Park, Cleadon Lea and Wansbeck Mews, Hebburn) would only able to be resolved through capital investment. For example problems at Cornthwaite Park, Cleadon, had cost more than £50,000 plus to remedy. 155. Members noted the limited resources meant that one serious flooding event could use up the whole of the allocated budget in any one year. 156. All schemes were considered by the Capital Board and Members of the Board made a decision on which ones to progress, taking into account Officers’ suggestions/recommendations. 157. Members received a further presentation on Business Continuity Management from the Corporate Risk Officer, which included information relating to: Civil Contingencies Act 2004 Category 1 and 2 Responders South Tyneside Council’s Response Invocation of the Plan Roles and Responsibilities Critical Services Extending Business Continuity Management Requirements 158. There was a ‘call cascade’ system which is activated in an emergency. 159. The Corporate Risk Officer considered that every Service throughout the Council should have a Plan, whether it was classed as critical or not. 160. The Council hoped to exercise its Plans throughout the year and since June 2009 one Business Continuity exercise had taken place, on flooding of the Barrington Street office. The exercise determined that the Plan was insufficiently detailed and it has subsequently been revised. 161. As regards vulnerable people in an emergency, the Council had recently gone through a tendering process for Domiciliary Care for the whole of the Borough. Each of the 28 submissions contained a Business Continuity Plan, set against criteria based on good practice guidelines from the Business Continuity Institute. 162. The Corporate Risk Officer informed Members that once she had been informed of the successful candidate she would re-visit the Business Continuity Plan and work with the organisation to ensure their Plan was fit for purpose. 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 23 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) 163. Members were concerned that people receiving care packages were cared for in an emergency. Adult Services had records of this nature and in the event that usual care providers were unable to provide services, plans would be put into place to provide an alternative package of care. What Liabilities Does the Council Have in Relation to Flood Events 164. There were different types of problems associated with flooding. These included building closures, cost to the Council, loss of irreplaceable items, potential insurance claims, adverse publicity and possible nuisance claims. 165. There were things the Council could do better, such as work more closely with partners, specialists and suppliers, identify areas at risk/develop risk management plans and establish specific budgets to deal with flooding. 166. Members received a presentation from the Account Executive of Jardine Lloyd Thompson, who outlined the market position in relation to flood and insurance risks 167. The presentation included examples of recent flood events, with costs, potential risks to the Council, how these would be funded and possible solutions. 168. One example of a recent flood event related to Ollie Reservoir which was sold to a Council in the1980’s for £1 and subsequently transformed into a significant country park. During the 2007 rainfall the dam wall was damaged, the park flooded and caused further damage to a 12 mile stretch of the M1. The flood affected 500 residents and the estimated cost of the incident was £4.75 million (not all of which was insurable). 169. Another example was the flood in Doncaster, where the Council had to build a purpose built caravan park. People were still residing in the caravans two years after the initial flood event. Also, in Tewkesbury, over 320 Council staff were dealing purely with distributing water to residents. 170. Members wanted to know at what stage insurers became involved with building projects. It was explained that usually Insurers did not get to know about or become involved in new projects until late in the process. However, work was ongoing with a number of Local Authorities to involve Insurers in the planning stage of building works. South Tyneside Homes 171. A further presentation was delivered to Members by the Head of Housing Services, South Tyneside Homes. 172. In the event of a flood affecting customer’s homes, South Tyneside Homes take a number of actions (working closely with partners).This includes 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 24 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) provision of emergency accommodation, assisting victims with furniture and provision of low cost home insurance. 173. Low cost insurance offered to tenants was with the Royal Sun Alliance, considered to be the most cost effective and supportive insurance organisation. Sessions 4 – visit to Hull (30 November 2009) 174. As part of the Commission, Members visited Hull, the scene of devastating floods in 2007. Members worked with colleagues from Hull City Council to identify lessons from their flooding experiences and how areas could cope more effectively with the aftermath and associated recovery of a major, widespread flooding event. Hull’s Flood Experience 175. Following a severe weather warning on 23rd/24th June, rain started falling in the early hours of 25 June 2007. 100mm of water was deposited in the region over the next 24hrs, which was the equivalent of 20 Olympic swimming pools per second. The drainage systems could not cope with that volume of surface run off. A major incident was declared by 9.30am and emergency plan arrangements were put in place. 176. The impact of the flood was: 8649 homes damaged. 91 out of 99 schools effected. 1300 businesses effected. 177. The response included: More than 700 council staff mobilised to undertake door to door surveys at more than 25000 properties. Dedicated database – Flood Online Support System (FLOSS). Caseworkers for the most needy cases. Dedicated Flood Advice Service. Hardship Fund. Provision of food, bedding, clothing, furniture etc. Exemptions from Council Tax payments. 178. The event placed a huge demand on the construction industry and prices increased dramatically. 179. 4/5 pumping stations broke down during the event. This was significant and it was accepted that had increased pumping capacity been available this might have reduced the effect of the flood in some areas of the City. In 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 25 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) many cases, if the water level had been a few millimetres lower the property would not have been affected. 180. During the early days following the event, Hull felt very much left out; other areas that had suffered from flooding seemed to receive much more recognition and assistance. A massive exercise took place to raise Hull’s profile. 181. Ongoing support was required for a lengthy period after the flood and even now, two and a half years later, the flood is still affecting people. 182. Many residents lived in caravans whilst their homes were drying out, however caravans were a huge issue in themselves (eg connecting to power and air lifting into residents’ back gardens). 183. Many suffered from secondary flooding (such as plaster and skirting board peeling away from the wall) months after the initial flood event. 184. It was determined after the event that clarification of services and individual’s roles and responsibilities would have been of significant benefit in providing a more succinct response. 185. At the end of the presentation, key players in the flood, who were in attendance at the meeting, briefly outlined the role they played in the event, key issues for their area of work, actions taken and lessons learnt for the future (copies of briefing papers are attached as Appendix B). 186. The whole operation affected some front line services and key performance indicators (one example related to Council Tax collection rates). The Council did receive a considerable amount of Government Support. In the first year following the flood £3 ½ million of capital revenue was not recovered and the Council had to prioritise services. Tour of Flood Area 187. Members were given a tour of the western area of the City, which was badly affected by the flood. 188. During the tour Members noted that: Many of the properties were lower than the road, meaning that the surface water ran directly into houses. Some of the residential estates had very little space in front of the properties and there was no room to place caravans. In such cases, caravans were air lifted into residents’ back gardens. Where caravans were placed in front of properties, it was extremely difficult for anyone to enter or exit the smaller estates. 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 26 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) Some residents rented private caravans but private Landlords commenced charging 3 to 4 times the normal rent. The west of the City did not have a lot of community resources in which to place residents affected by the flood and there were plans at one stage to use churches. There were a lot of problems with looters taking damaged goods that residents had placed outside of their properties (waiting for insurance assessors) and travellers were riding around in vans gathering up what they could find. The Council found it difficult to deal with looters as it stretched resources which were already heavily committed. 500 staff turned out to knock on doors in one neighbourhood. Some staff found the experience harrowing, particularly when dealing with vulnerable people (some could not understand why their families had not arrived to help them out). The Council literally ‘shut up shop’ to begin with and did not deal with any ‘normal’ business. Disputes amongst neighbours arose, where one property was affected by the flood and the neighbour, due to his/her property being slightly higher, was not affected. Some of the larger national organisations donated cleaning fluids and Park Rangers distributed this amongst residents. There were many things that people did not think of, such as where parks were flooded animals and birds had to be rescued, looked after and fed; a number of staff took animals home with them. People could not find alternative places to live and rented properties were being snatched up very quickly. In the aftermath of the flood, work being carried out in ‘right to buy’ properties was of a different standard to other Council properties. Informal Discussion with Community Wardens and Residents 189. Members and Officers from South Tyneside took part in an informal discussion with Community Wardens and Residents affected by the flood. 190. During the discussion both Residents and Community Wardens provided information on their experience of the flood, as follows: 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 27 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) On the 25th it was raining heavily and one resident asked her husband if he thought they would flood. He answered “why should we?” A few minutes later the garden looked as if it was flooding, the resident went to take a picture and in that moment the water came through the middle of the floor in the front room (concrete floor). Children were sent home from schools on the lunch time, but the driveway was flooded. Ground maintenance vehicles had to collect the children from the school door and take them to the end of the drive so their parents could take them home. The roads were very heavily congested. Childminders were removed from their properties with the children they minded. Parents did not know where their children were and if they were okay. There were a lot of problems with insurance companies; different insurance companies were giving out different information. Loss adjusters caused a lot of trouble for the insurance companies; they were saying residents were not covered on their policies when the insurance companies were saying they were covered. The Council took on agency Social Workers, whilst Community Wardens were expected to undertake additional duties as part of their normal role. This caused massive problems and a great deal of stress. Some organisations were willing to contribute goods to victims of the flood, whilst others were not. It would have been helpful to have had a list of organisations able to contribute the different items that would be needed, prior to the event. Months after the flood residents did not know how much the damage to their properties cost – loss adjusters would not give out this information. Session 5 – Impact of Climate Change (16 February 2009) Met Office Presentation - Climate Change Fact or Fiction Graham 191. Graham Butler – Met Office Public Weather Service Advisor, delivered this presentation in which the following points were made The evidence for Climate change happening and being caused by man made factors is extremely compelling. 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 28 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) The production of “greenhouse” gases has risen dramatically in the last 100 years which has led to a gradual rise in temperature The effect will be having more regular extremely hot summers like that of 2003. These sorts of weather conditions lead to deaths, particularly amongst the elderly. It was estimated that the summer of 2003 resulted in 30,000 extra death across Europe. It is predicted that our climate will change in the following ways: Annual average temperature rise by the end of the century is very likely to be 3.5C. Even if emissions of GHG stop now we will be committed to an annual rise of 2C by the middle of this century. As summers become warmer and drier droughts are more likely. However, there may also be more intense downpours of summer rainfall, which could lead to flash flooding. The extreme heatwave of 2003 could happen every other year by 2040. Heavy winter precipitation is expected to become more frequent, potentially causing more flooding. Sea level across the UK is projected to rise by between 11 and 76cms. 192. Members questioned whether the evidence for climate change created by man made factors was robust given the recent “climategate” scandal following leaked information from East Anglia University. 193. Mr Butler agreed that the publicity was damaging but that the East Anglia University was just one organisation in a huge network of organisations researching climate change and the overall weight of evidence was compelling. 194. The Met Office had opened all of its data to public scrutiny. Climate Change Projections 195. Adrian Hilton, Regional Climate Change Coordinator for Climate NE gave a presentation highlighting the work going on in predicting climate change in the North East. 196. He said that in the face of Climate change, the bottom line is that we need to: Enhance resilience of our infrastructure, communities and business and natural environment to climate change. Reduce our Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 80% - by 2050; and Seize the opportunities that arise by gaining a competitive advantage and to achieve economic diversification. 197. In the North East we can expect: 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 29 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) Changing weather patterns Warmer, wetter winters Hotter, drier summers Reduction in soil moisture in summer Increase in ‘high intensity’ rainfall events Polarisation of rainfall Higher incidence and severity of storm events Changes is biodiversity Changing patterns of public usage – natural environment 198. The North East Climate Adaptation Study predicts climate change in the North East on smaller resolution (borough level) than national statistics. The Environment Agency Regional Weather Impact Generator (EARWIG) generates the statistics. The study looks a prediction to the 2050’s onwards. 199. Key predictions - by 2080 The average summer temperature will rise between 2 and 5.8ºC. Summer decrease in rainfall by between – 5% and –10% and winter increases between 8% and 20%. Sea level rise of 30cm. What Does this mean for flood risk and how can we adapt – Royal Haskoning 200. Nick Cooper, Technical Director, Royal Haskoning, provided this presentation on what climate change meant for South Tyneside (in terms of flood risk) and what could be done to adapt to the changing climate. 201. With respect to surface water flooding, the main risks were: Road closures Electricity supply Businesses Community Centres Residential homes Metro services Schools Ferry services 202. Climate Change could lead to: Increased flood risk to life, property and assets Increased flood risk to critical infrastructure (sub-stations, sewage treatment works, transport networks) 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 30 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) Increase in blockages (debris) Increased loading on river and coastal defences Increased maintenance requirements (debris removal, defence structures) 203. Knock-on and ‘indirect’ consequences included: Impacts on mental and physical health Loss of business continuity Loss of livelihood Severing of communities Provision of services to vulnerable people Environmental pollution or loss of habitats Transport disruption 204. He talked Members through each of the flood risks in South Tyneside and gave examples relating to the North Sea (Sandhaven and Littlehaven), River Tyne and other rivers/burns (Riverside Regeneration), urban drainage, sewer systems and land drainage (Cleadon Lea). 205. Members were also referred to the website where they could get further information on the North East Adaptation Study, as follows: www.adaptNE.org 206. He stressed that whilst there were some negative aspects to the effects of climate change, it was important to stress the opportunities in adapting to climate change, not only the challenges. 207. A Member raised concerns over how much it was going to cost to adapt to the effects of climate change, given the current economic climate and asked if any funding would be provided by Central Government. 208. He explained that the North East Adaptation Study recommended both physical and political adaptation; one of the recommendations specifically related to lobbying Central Government for funding, in light of the findings of science available today. 209. Members also noted that in 2006 the Stern Review (Executive summary in appendix 1), which looked at the cost of adaptation to climate change, recognised that there would be a capital cost, however it was also recognised that it was far more cost effective than if organisations did not adapt. Member Comments on Session 5 210. Whilst the session presented the case for climate change in a cogent manner, some Members did feel that the argument against climate change 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 31 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) being man made but more part of a natural cycle of change were not presented to the committee. 211. Whilst this may not affect that fact that climate change is happening, nevertheless, Members felt that this was an omission. Conclusions and Recommendations 212. Following evaluation of all the evidence placed before the Commission, the following conclusions were drawn: Working in partnership is vital. Developing robust and fit for purpose flood resilience plans and arrangements is a complex process and can only be achieved by working in a truly multi-agency way. Therefore, all flood (and wider resilience plans) should be developed in close cooperation with designated Category 1 and 2 responder organisations (such as the Northumbria Police and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service) and non-designated emergency responders such as schools and community organisations. Sharing information and intelligence is key. Whilst all agencies recognised the need for this, there was a further acknowledgement that this was an area that needed some dedicated work undertaken. A key enable is the use of technology which can be used more effectively to overcome this challenge; initiatives such as the National Resilience Extranet which will allow partner organisations to easily share flood related information and intelligence and Category 1 and 2 responders should commit to this new service. Strategically, we need to undertake a detailed Risk Assessment which balances flood risk against value for money in order to inform our long term investment plans for flood defence schemes. This approach needed to be driven at the individual local community level. The ageing sewerage system may not be able to cope with the increased rainfall due to climate change. We need to look at what innovative solutions are available for flood defence that can be used to enhance our existing arrangements and equipment such as removable dams and flood barriers. We need to make sure that we maximise the amount of people insured against flood risk by more effectively communicating flood risk to residents and have a scheme in place for those who are not. Flushing Fats Oil and Grease into drains is a major problem. We need to make sure that the public are aware of the problems it causes. We need to make the public more aware of the Environment Agency flood warning systems and how to sign up to it. We need to make sure that sufficient expertise in the area of flood risk management is retained in the Borough. The fact that we are taking on new responsibilities as Lead Flood Authorities under the Flood and Water Management Bill without any 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 32 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) specific allocation from Central Government resource is a concern to Members. Local Authorities have a leadership role to perform which we will need to explore and develop from Member and Officer perspectives and at a strategic and local level through existing groups such as the Local Responder Group. Each service needs to consider the need for a business continuity plan in the event of flooding and work with officers from Corporate Risk and Governance to develop and test their service continuity plans. We need to start to involve insurance companies at an earlier stage of a development. We need to make sure that we invest in the future infrastructure to save further costs in the future. The Stern Review (Appendix 1) concluded that the benefits of strong early action on climate change out weigh the costs. We need to identify what opportunities climate change can present eg tourism, and the development of new technologies. 213. After consideration of these conclusions, Members would like to make the following recommendations to the council and partner agencies. R1 The commission should write to government urging them to embrace the findings of the Stern Review in 2006 and provide adequate resources to Local Authorities to take strong and decisive actions to adapt to future climate change now in order to save greater costs being incurred in the future. R2 An ‘Annual Summary’ should be presented to the appropriate scrutiny committee outlining action taken locally to manage flood risk and implement the provisions of the Floods and Water Management Act. This summary should include: Revenue and capital spend Revenue and capital proposals for the coming year Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Coastal Management Strategy update Outline Flood Risk Management Plan Engagement and advocacy within communities Demonstration of the council’s leadership role R3 Adequate capital and revenue provision needs to be made within the budget on an annual basis to assist in implementing the Floods and Water Management Act. This should include an appropriate contingency for responding to unexpected flood events. R4 A dedicated programme of training should be developed to build up expertise in the area of Flood Risk Management and recruitment and 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 33 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) retention policies should be put in place to ensure that these skills are retained in an ever more competitive market. R5 Whilst there are examples of good partnership working in the borough and regionally, the Pitt Review challenges us to “raise our game in terms of partnership working”. We would therefore recommend that: R6 The Strategic Flood Risk Assessment for the borough needs to be completed. From this there should a risk-based judgement as to our most urgent flood risks. This should then underpin the development of: R7 Updated Multi-Agency Flood Response Plan. Flood Management Plan for the purposes of Flood Risk Regulations. Development of Surface Water Management Plans. The draft Community Resilience Strategy should be completed and in particular set out the role of Neighbourhood Teams in engaging communities to become more aware of flood risks and more resilient to floods. Measure taken could include 582753470 Final There is appropriate Member representation from the North East on the Local Government Association Special Interest Group on Flood Risk Management. There is appropriate Officer representation to support the Local Government Association Special Interest Group on Flood Risk Management. The ANEC/Environment Agency sub-regional Flood Coordination Groups involve relevant partners in producing a data sharing protocol. Northumbria Water, the Council and other Partners meet locally to programme manage the annual plan. Promoting the role of the council as lead agency with partners. Community flood wardens (volunteers). Council managed local early warning systems (see R13). Locally managed supplies of sandbags. Information and practical advice on flood risk (particularly drawing attention to surface water flooding) and protecting property. Encouragement to for tenants and property owners insure against flood risk. Outlining the responsibilities of businesses with respect to the disposal of fats oils and grease. 14 April 2010 Page 34 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) R8 Work should be undertaken to ensure that all areas of innovation and good practice are adopted locally. Measures that have been identified during the commission process include: Air Brick covers Raised electric points/air bricks Mobile flood barriers GIS mapping of gullies and culverts Signs informing the public of when gully cleaning is taking place R9 The Council should establish an Asset Register that identifies which of its assets are susceptible to flood and the measures required to improve their resilience to flood events. R10 The Council should evaluate the risks pertaining to its own portfolio of buildings with respect to business interruption/recovery. This should include: Each service establishing a business continuity plan. Assessing whether present or future building design is appropriate. Assessing risks that impact on others (eg council as a landowner). R11 The Council should also review the likely opportunities that climate change will present to ensure that South Tyneside is at the forefront of any social or economic benefits that may come from these. R12 We must ensure that flood risks are firmly taken account of within the Local Development Framework. R13 The Council should work with the Environment Agency to actively promote their early flood warning services and to develop a system of warning and informing communities prior to and during flood where this remit falls outside of the Environment Agency role (ie where it does not involve a major water course). R14 The Council and South Tyneside Homes should review the insurance products offered to tenants and actively promote the uptake of insurance against flood risk. R15 The Council should work with relevant partners to identify critical infrastructure and its vulnerability to flood risk. R16 The Council should progress the implementation of its Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and in particular its proposals to work with communities and businesses to prepare for the impacts of climate change. 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 35 of 43 Scrutiny Commission on Flood Risk Management) Legal Implications 214. The Select Committee will not make any decisions with legal implications; their role is to make recommendations to Cabinet. Risk Implications 215. The purpose of the proposed Scrutiny Commission is to examine how the Council and its partners can better manage the risk of flooding in the Borough. Equality and Diversity Implications 216. There are no equality and diversity implications. Environmental and Sustainability Implications 217. The management of flood risk is identified as a key action in the Environment Strategy. It is envisaged that recommendations from the Commission will contribute towards improving environmental quality in the Borough. Report Recommendation 218. Members are asked to consider the report and agree the recommendations for submission to cabinet and other relevant partner agencies 582753470 Final 14 April 2010 Page 36 of 43 Appendix 1 STERN REVIEW: The Economics of Climate Change (2006) Executive Summary The scientific evidence is now overwhelming: climate change presents very serious global risks, and it demands an urgent global response. This independent Review was commissioned by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, reporting to both the Chancellor and to the Prime Minister, as a contribution to assessing the evidence and building understanding of the economics of climate change. The Review first examines the evidence on the economic impacts of climate change itself, and explores the economics of stabilising greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The second half of the Review considers the complex policy challenges involved in managing the transition to a low-carbon economy and in ensuring that societies can adapt to the consequences of climate change that can no longer be avoided. The Review takes an international perspective. Climate change is global in its causes and consequences, and international collective action will be critical in driving an effective, efficient and equitable response on the scale required. This response will require deeper international co-operation in many areas most notably in creating price signals and markets for carbon, spurring technology research, development and deployment, and promoting adaptation, particularly for developing countries. Climate change presents a unique challenge for economics: it is the greatest and widest-ranging market failure ever seen. The economic analysis must therefore be global, deal with long time horizons, have the economics of risk and uncertainty at centre stage, and examine the possibility of major, nonmarginal change. To meet these requirements, the Review draws on ideas and techniques from most of the important areas of economics, including many recent advances. The benefits of strong, early action on climate change outweigh the costs The effects of our actions now on future changes in the climate have long lead times. What we do now can have only a limited effect on the climate over the next 40 or 50 years. On the other hand what we do in the next 10 or 20 years can have a profound effect on the climate in the second half of this century and in the next. No-one can predict the consequences of climate change with complete certainty; but we now know enough to understand the risks. Mitigation - taking strong action to reduce emissions - must be viewed as an investment, a cost incurred now and in the coming few decades to avoid the risks of very severe consequences in the future. If these investments are made wisely, the costs will be manageable, and there will be a wide range of opportunities for growth and development along the way. For this to work well, policy must promote sound market signals, overcome market failures Contact Officer: Paul Baldasera, Scrutiny Policy Officer, 4246022 background papers background papers background papers Appendix 1 STERN REVIEW: The Economics of Climate Change (2006) and have equity and risk mitigation at its core. That essentially is the conceptual framework of this Review. The Review considers the economic costs of the impacts of climate change, and the costs and benefits of action to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) that cause it, in three different ways: Using disaggregated techniques, in other words considering the physical impacts of climate change on the economy, on human life and on the environment, and examining the resource costs of different technologies and strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Using economic models, including integrated assessment models that estimate the economic impacts of climate change, and macro-economic models that represent the costs and effects of the transition to low-carbon energy systems for the economy as a whole. Using comparisons of the current level and future trajectories of the ‘social cost of carbon’ (the cost of impacts associated with an additional unit of greenhouse gas emissions) with the marginal abatement cost (the costs associated with incremental reductions in units of emissions). From all of these perspectives, the evidence gathered by the Review leads to a simple conclusion: the benefits of strong, early action considerably outweigh the costs. The evidence shows that ignoring climate change will eventually damage economic growth. Our actions over the coming few decades could create risks of major disruption to economic and social activity, later in this century and in the next, on a scale similar to those associated with the great wars and the economic depression of the first half of the 20th century. And it will be difficult or impossible to reverse these changes. Tackling climate change is the pro-growth strategy for the longer term, and it can be done in a way that does not cap the aspirations for growth of rich or poor countries. The earlier effective action is taken, the less costly it will be. At the same time, given that climate change is happening, measures to help people adapt to it are essential, and the less mitigation we do now, the greater the difficulty of continuing to adapt in future. Contact Officer: Paul Baldasera, Scrutiny Policy Officer, 4246022 background papers background papers background papers Appendix 2 glossary Glossary Artificial Drainage Systems Climate Change Adaptation Strategy Coastal Management Strategy Community Resilience Strategy Emergency Response Plan (ERP) Environment Strategy Flood and Water Management Bill Flood Management Plan Flood Response Plan Contact Officer: An artificial drainage system is introduced to assist with the removal of surface and sub-surface water from an area such as culverts and underground drainage systems. This Strategy aims to assess South Tyneside’s vulnerability to current climate and future climate change, identify options to address climate risks and to develop a climate change adaptation action plan. This strategy describes how coastal management, watercourse management and associated flood defence issues are being developed and addressed in South Tyneside. This Strategy sets the overall direction for engagement with the local community for resilience issues and how resilience planning will be conducted in South Tyneside. The central plan that provides details of South Tyneside Council’s arrangements for responding to emergency situations. This Strategy sets out plans to improve and enhance our natural environment, creating sustainable communities through urban design, living neighbourhoods and transport, reducing waste and increasing recycling, encouraging using energy from renewable sources and meeting the challenge of climate change. A new bill that aims to reduce flood risk and improve the management of water resources. There are several flood plans in South Tyneside: South Tyneside Responding to Flooding Incidents Arrangements which will soon be replaced by the South Tyneside Tactical Flood Plan, NLRF MultiAgency Flood Plan (MAFP) Paul Baldasera, Scrutiny Policy Officer, 4246022 background papers background papers background papers Appendix 2 glossary Groundwater flooding Category 1 and 2 Responders Northumbria Local Resilience Forum (NLRF) Pitt Review Private Drainage Systems Public Drainage Systems Resilience Planning Contact Officer: A flood event that results from a rise in groundwater level sufficient for the water table to intersect the ground surface and inundate low lying areas A Category 1 responder has 7 key duties under the Civil Contingencies Act: Business Continuity Management for internal services, risk assessment, emergency planning, warning/informing and advising the public, cooperating with other responder organisations, sharing information with other responder organisations and (for Local Authorities only) providing Business Continuity Management advice to local businesses. Category 2 responders support Category 1 responders with fulfilling their duties under the Civil Contingencies Act. The Northumbria Local Resilience Forum was formed in 2005 in response to the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. This act requires specific organisations across police areas to work together to prepare, respond and recover from different emergencies. Outlines the major implications of the Government response to the Pitt Review of the 2007 floods. Private drains or sewers are the responsibility of each owner whose property connects into it. If more than one property drains into a private system, the cost of any work that may be needed is usually shared proportionally between all the properties. Public sewers are the responsibility of the service provider and for residents in South Tyneside it is Northumbrian Water Limited. The process of planning for emergencies and disruptive challenges. Paul Baldasera, Scrutiny Policy Officer, 4246022 background papers background papers background papers Appendix 2 glossary South Tyneside Local Responders Group Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Surface water flooding Surface Water Management Plan Contact Officer: Local group that plan for multi-agency emergencies and disruptive challenges SFRAs are intended to guide development decisions and meet the requirements of the Planning Policy Guidance Note PPG25 Development and Flood Risk This type of flooding is caused because the volume of water falling or flowing onto the metalled surface overwhelms existing drainage systems. A Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP) is described as a framework through which key local partners with a responsibility for surface water and drainage in their area work together to understand the causes of surface water flooding and agree the most cost effective way of managing that risk. Paul Baldasera, Scrutiny Policy Officer, 4246022 background papers background papers background papers Appendix 2 glossary South Tyneside Resilience Plans Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service Northumbria Police Other Local Authorities South Tyneside Responding to Flooding Incidents Arrangements Northumbria Local Resilience Forum MultiAgency Flood Plan Voluntary Organisations Other Category 1 and 2 Responder organisations resilience plans South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust & South of Tyne PCT y South Tyneside Rest Centre Arrangements South Tyneside Council Emergency Response Plan South Tyneside Humanitarian Assistance Centre Arrangements Contact Officer: Utilities South Tyneside Post Emergency Recovery Arrangements South Tyneside Council Emergency Catering Arranagements Paul Baldasera, Scrutiny Policy Officer, 4246022 background papers background papers background papers background papers background papers background papers Scrutiny Commission on Flooding – Final report The following is a list of the background papers (excluding exempt papers) relied upon in the preparation of the above report: Background Paper File Ref: File Location The Pitt Review: Lessons learned from the 2007 floods www.cabinetoffice.gov. uk/thepittreview/final_re port.aspx Stern Review: the economics of climate change 2006 http://www.hmtreasury.gov.uk/d/Exec utive_Summary.pdf Contact Officer: Paul Baldasera, Scrutiny Policy Officer, 4246022 background papers background papers background papers