Agenda item

The Chair welcomed to the meeting Rachel Crompton, Principal Flood Risk Officer; Laura Makeating, Principal Flood Risk Officer; and Marcus Leigh, Highways Service Manager (Infrastructure).

A presentation was delivered to the committee on the joint draft Lancashire Local Flood Risk Management Strategy 2021-2027. In addition, members were presented with a progress report on the implementation of agreed actions following the recommendations of the Strengthening Flood Risk Management and Preparedness Task and Finish Group report as adopted by the External Scrutiny Committee.

During the presentation, the following points were highlighted:

·  The strategy was the scene setting for all the flood risk management work that the county council did with its partners across Lancashire.

·  The new draft strategy was now out for public consultation to seek views on the strategy's proposals.

·  The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 stated that a local authority must develop, maintain, apply and monitor a strategy for flood risk management in its area. The strategy had to align with the national strategy.

·  The Local Flood Risk Management Strategy was a strategic level document which set out how Lancashire County Council intended to manage local flood risks across Lancashire until 2027.

·  Feedback from the consultation would be analyzed and changes made where necessary. The strategy would need Cabinet approval and then Full Council approval in late summer 2021.

·  The vision was that by 2027 Lancashire would be a flood resilient place responsive to risks, challenges and opportunities supporting a sustainable future for the people of Lancashire.

In response to questions and comments from members, the following information was clarified:

·  There was concern about the Flood Risk Management Team being overwhelmed with the number of requests for advice from local planning authorities. Lancashire County Council were a statutory consultee on all major planning applications and tried to respond to them within the statutory timescale. Significant improvements had been made on response times. The county council had no control on the publication of its responses by local planning authorities. There was a request for relevant county councillors to be copied into the county council's responses.

·  Regarding the listing and mapping of Lancashire's water courses, members enquired if the delivery date for this of March 2027 could be improved on.

·  Lancashire County Council good contact with around 50 Lancashire flood action groups and local resilience groups. It was important to ensure these groups received the advice and support they needed.

·  On the draft culvert policy, it was acknowledged that the county council could not progress this until the strategy had been approved.

·  On United Utilities not being a statutory consultee for planning applications it was noted that all comments received by local planning authorities had to be treated equally irrespective of where they came from. Making water companies statutory consultees wouldn't give them any additional powers. United Utilities were very proactive in reviewing planning lists as applications could pose a business risk to their assets.

·  It was highlighted that the Flood Risk Management Team was not an emergency service but an investigatory and regulatory service.

Resolved: That;

1.  The next steps planned for the Flood Risk Management Strategy be noted.

2.  The progress report on strengthening flood risk management and preparedness be noted.