Issue - items at meetings - York 5 Year Flood Plan Update

This report provides an update regarding progress on the York Five Year Flood Plan since the last update on 10 December 2018, including details of work carried out by the Environment Agency.

Resolved: (i) That the updated report, and the information presented at the session by the Environment Agency (EA) and council officers, be noted.

(ii) That officers be requested to prepare a report to Executive regarding an appropriate budget allocation for the work connected with signing up to be part of the Northern Forest through the White Rose Forest partnership and Leeds City Region.

(iii) That officers be requested to work with the EA on an holistic approach to the replacement of trees removed as a result of flood schemes, and to planting upstream and within the city to help with Natural Flood Management, taking account of any notional fees to be charged for the removal of trees.

(iv) That officers be requested to develop a plan for an upgrade to Burdyke Pumping Station, to take account of different restrictions on funding streams with partners.

(v) That officers be requested to bring forward schemes with partners for:

· Clifton Green / Burdyke

· Shipton Road / Blue Beck

· Tower Street / River Foss

· Bishopthorpe Road (Middlethorpe)

· Naburn.

Reason: To confirm that the Executive Member is aware of the current position regarding progress on the 5 Year Flood Plan and to ensure that progress continues to be made on flood alleviation and prevention in the City of York.

The Executive Member considered a report which provided an update on progress against the York Five Year Flood Plan in York. An officer from the Environment Agency (EA) was in attendance to present the update and answer questions.

Annex 1 to the report detailed work carried out by the EA since the last update, on 10 December 2018. It included a summary of city-wide activities, an update on work in each flood cell and progress on the York Flood Alleviation Scheme six month public engagement programme.

The EA officer gave a further update on activities within individual flood cells and, with council officers, responded to questions from the Executive Member, confirming that:

· £28m was now expected to be spent on the Foss Barrier, including replacement gates.

· Where work required tree removal, normal mitigation measures would apply in terms of re-planting.

· All roads prone to flooding could benefit from flood grant aid, but for roads without properties the benefits were limited.

· Council officers were engaging with the EA on the pumping requirements within individual flood cells.

· Advice on property flood resilience, based on independent surveys, would be provided to property owners (cell B8).

· Residents would be kept informed on the work carried out in Almery Tce / St Peter’s School under permitted development rights (cell B11).

· Officers recognised that the EA was making good progress, with construction to begin on four sites in the current year, and that this progress needed to be maintained.

Resolved: (i) That the updated report, and the information provided at the session by the Environment Agency (EA) and council officers, be noted.