Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point in the meeting, the Executive Member is asked to

declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of

Interests

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which he might have in respect of business on this agenda.

The Executive Member confirmed that he had no personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, nor any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests, to declare in the business on the agenda.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Decision Session held on 7 January 2019.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the Decision Session held on 7 January 2019 be approved and signed by the Executive Member as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Friday, 8 March 2019.  Members of the public can speak on agenda items or matters within the Executive Member’s remit.

To register to speak please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note that, subject to available resources, this meeting will  be filmed and webcast, or recorded, including any registered public speakers who have given their permission. The broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts or, if recorded, this will be uploaded onto the Council’s website following the meeting.

To register to speak please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note that, subject to available resources, this meeting will be filmed and webcast, or recorded, including any registered public speakers who have given their permission. The broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts or, if recorded, this will be uploaded onto the Council’s website following the meeting.

Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This includes the use of social media reporting, i.e. tweeting.  Anyone wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officer in advance of the meeting. Contact details are at the foot of this agenda.

The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present.  It can be viewed at

https://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/file/11406/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings_20160809

It was reported that there had been one registration to speak at the session under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Sam Biram spoke on Agenda Item 4 (Green Waste Collection Petition) in support of the petition, noting that 75% of Micklegate residents were not on a green waste route and that residents would prefer green waste bags to bins.

This report asks the Executive Member to decide what action should be taken in response to a petition on green waste collection for East Mount Road.

Resolved:  That Option 2 be approved and that future provision be considered later in 2019, as part of the ongoing bags to bins project.

Reason:     In order to respond to residents’ concerns and progress the provision of green waste collection in accordance with the outcome of the bags to bins project in this area of the city.

The Executive Member considered a report which sought a decision on the action to be taken in response to a petition received from residents of East Mount Road regarding green waste collection.

The petition, signed by 39 residents, called on the council to look for suitable collection arrangements for green waste in their road.  East Mount Road was currently in a bagged waste collection area and council policy was not to collect green waste in these areas.  However, officers were currently undertaking a review to consider whether some bagged waste areas could be moved to a wheelie bin collection service.  Options available were therefore:

Option 1 – to note the petition and take no further action, or

Option 2 – consider future provision as part of the ongoing bags to bins project, later in 2019.  This was the recommended option.

In response to matters raised under public participation, officers confirmed that, for health and safety reasons, the council did not provide a bagged collection service for green waste.

Resolved:  That Option 2 be approved and that future provision be considered later in 2019, as part of the ongoing bags to bins project.

Reason:     In order to respond to residents’ concerns and progress the provision of green waste collection in accordance with the outcome of the bags to bins project in this area of the city.

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.

                   (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.

This report presents the findings and recommendations arising from the formal investigation into the impact of intense rainfall across the city on 13 August 2018.

Resolved:  (i)      That the report at Annex 1 be noted and the key recommendations, as summarised below, be supported:

a)   City of York Council (CYC) to work with all partners to develop an increased understanding of flood resilience through the update of the Local Flood Risk Strategy and the communications around the York Flood Alleviation Scheme (FAS).

b)   CYC to support the findings of the ongoing gulley management review.

c)   CYC to raise awareness of surface water management techniques with planning partners and internal highways design teams.

d)   CYC Flood Risk Management team to prepare a report for the Executive recommending the need to develop and fund a network of digital rain gauges in the city.

e)   All ongoing investigations and works detailed in the report to be completed.

f)    CYC to take a lead to ensure the ownership, management, operation and maintenance of Westfield Beck Pumping Station is clarified, as this played an important role during the event.

(ii)      That a report on any outstanding issues from this event be brought to the Decision Session with the next quarterly Flood Plan report, with the emphasis on those areas where internal flooding took place.

Reason:     In order to respond appropriately to the effects of this event, resolve the issues that arose and provide increased understanding and awareness of the risk of surface water flooding across York communities.

The Executive Member considered a report which presented the results and recommendations of an investigation carried out by the council’s Flood Risk Management Team into the impact of the intense rainfall that occurred across the city on 13 August 2018.

The council had investigated all recorded incidents and worked with partners in Yorkshire Water and the Foss Internal Drainage Board to gather further information on the impact and causes of flooding.  The Investigation Report, attached as Annex 1 to the cover report, detailed the 13 August event from the forecasting phase though to the location of the 123 flooded areas, individual findings and actions in respect of each area (listed by ward in the table annexed to the Investigation Report), and the resulting recommendations. 

Officers noted that the Haxby / Wigginton public consultation meeting mentioned in paragraph 10 of the cover report had been deferred to later in the year.  In response to questions from the Executive Member, they confirmed that:

·        It was intended to made information from the digital rain gauge network publicly available in the future.

·        A drainage solution had been identified for Carr Lane (no.1 on the table), with work programmed to start in April;

·        Further enquiries would need to be made in respect of run-off from the new hospital on Haxby Road and progress on some of the ongoing schemes listed in the table.

Resolved:  (i)      That the report at Annex 1 be noted and the key recommendations, as summarised below, be supported:

a)   City of York Council (CYC) to work with all partners to develop an increased understanding of flood resilience through the update of the Local Flood Risk Strategy and the communications around the York Flood Alleviation Scheme (FAS).

b)   CYC to support the findings of the ongoing gulley management review.

c)   CYC to raise awareness of surface water management techniques with planning partners and internal highways design teams.

d)   CYC Flood Risk Management team to prepare a report for the Executive recommending the need to develop and fund a network of digital rain gauges in the city.

e)   All ongoing investigations and works detailed in the report to be completed.

f)    CYC to take a lead to ensure the ownership, management, operation and maintenance of Westfield Beck Pumping Station is clarified, as this played an important role during the event.

(ii)      That a report on any outstanding issues from this event be brought to the Decision Session with the next quarterly Flood Plan report, with the emphasis on those areas where internal flooding took place.

Reason:     In order to respond appropriately to the effects of the event, resolve the issues that arose and provide increased understanding and awareness of the risk of surface water flooding across York communities.