Agenda and minutes

County Councillor Julia Berry replaced County Councillor Noordad Aziz for this meeting only.

Apologies were received from County Councillor Azhar Ali OBE.

Members are asked to consider any pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests they may have to disclose to the meeting in relation to matters under consideration on the agenda.

County Councillor John Singleton JP declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to item 4, Climate Change and Flood Risk in Lancashire as a member of Staining Flood Action Group.

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 11 January 2022 be confirmed as an accurate record.

The committee received a report and a presentation from Laura Makeating and
Rachel Crompton, Principal Flood Risk Officers from Lancashire County Council, that provided members with an understanding of climate change and flood risk management in Lancashire, along with an update on the previous scrutiny review on, 'Strengthening flood risk management and preparedness'.

Laura and Rachel were joined by County Councillor Shaun Turner, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, Gary Petherbridge, Highways Manager Operations, and Rebecca Makinson, Highway Asset Principal from Lancashire County Council and Andy Brown and Elizabeth Lowe from the Environment Agency.

A copy of the presentation is set out in the minutes.

Comments and queries from the committee were as follows:

·  On the Flood Re scheme, it was felt there was an opportunity to raise awareness by promoting the scheme to the people of Lancashire to improve knowledge.

·  On the cumulative effects of multiple development sites in a given area, the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) would work with the Local Planning Authority (LPA) to consider developing a master plan or arranging a strategic meeting involving all the relevant developers in that cluster to determine a higher quality solution for how water could be managed and in a greener and sustainable way.

·  Members conveyed concern about urban creep and residents not applying for planning permission when converting more than 5m² worth of grass to paving on their properties and that this matter was not being enforced. 

·  It was noted there was no national standard required through the
National Planning Policy Framework on urban creep, like there was with the climate change allowance being incorporated into developments. The LLFA was committed to working with all LPAs in Lancashire in going through the planning making process to ensure a 10% allowance for urban creep was accounted for. Further work was needed to bring onboard United Utilities and other flood risk management authorities to develop a local policy on urban creep.

·  During the current financial year, the LLFA received 834 planning consultations which was deemed to be the busiest planning consultation period since they became a statutory consultee. The Flood Risk Management team was structured to reflect those pressures.

·  The culvert policy was considered an intensive exercise for officers, due to corporate implications and the number of consultations with multiple service areas throughout the county council and stakeholders which were needed. However, it was reported that the policy would be progressed as the Flood Risk Management team reviewed other policies during the next financial year. It was expected this would take in excess of 18 months. 

·  With regards to an annual forum for Risk Management Authorities and
Flood Action Groups, it was proposed that a survey would be formulated which provided feedback to the Flood Risk Management team about what the community groups wanted from such a forum and how it could be formatted and delivered.

·  Lancashire County Council issued 230 first letters to riparian landowners within the first eight-month period of routinely collating this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

The committee received a report which provided information on the work programme for the External Scrutiny Committee.

Resolved: That the External Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2021/22 be noted.

An item of urgent business may only be considered under this heading where, by reason of special circumstances to be recorded in the minutes, the chair of the meeting is of the opinion that the item should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.  Wherever possible, the chief executive should be given advance warning of any member’s intention to raise a matter under this heading.

There were no items of urgent business.

The next meeting of the External Scrutiny Committee will be held on
Tuesday 12 April 2022 at 10.30am in County Hall, Preston.

It was noted the next meeting of the External Scrutiny Committee would take place on Tuesday 12 April 2022 at 10:30am in County Hall, Preston.