To receive a presentation on Internal Drainage Board Boundary changes.
Minutes:
Phil Camamile, Chief Executive of the Water Management Alliance presented the Panels with information on the King’s Lynn Drainage Board proposals to extend the Drainage District.
He explained that the proposals were to extend the drainage district to the hydraulic watershed catchment boundary. The benefits of this would be a catchment based approach so that upland areas could be addressed, which would assist with problems before they reached the current Internal Drainage Board area.
Phil Camamile provided an overview of the work that the Internal Drainage Board intended to do in the upland area which included:
· carrying out detailed investigations to scope known drainage problems by working with key partners.
· Prioritising and creating a programme of works.
· Maintenance operations to improve conveyance which could include jetting pipelines, unblocking culverts and removing obstructions, de-silting and weed control.
· Other work which may be required including river narrowing, wetland creation and re-meandering, designed to slow the flow of water moving downstream to the existing district.
· Regulation of development through the use of Byelaws.
The Panels were informed that if the proposals to extend the drainage district were progressed they would be paid for by capital grants, commuted sums and developer contributions, drainage rates and the existing special levy paid by the Borough Council. Phil Camamile explained that it was proposed that more work would be carried out for the same amount of money.
In taking the proposals forward a full consultation would be carried out with the following:
· The Borough Council
· Norfolk County Council
· The Environment Agency
· All Parish Councils
· Occupiers of agricultural land in the upland area.
· Neighbouring Local Authorities
· The General Public
The Internal Drainage Board would be putting together a full consultation plan which would take approximately three months to complete. Following the consultation process a business plan would be created with the Borough Council and Norfolk County Council. Once agreed in principle by the relevant officers another round of consultation would take place involving all those likely to be affected by the proposals.
The Anglian RFCC would then start the statutory process to agree and implement the proposals. Phil Camamile explained that no application to extend the existing boundary would be made unless the Internal Drainage Board received letters of support from the Borough Council, Norfolk County Council and the NFU following the consultation process. Phil Camamile expected that the new arrangements could come into effect in April 2016 if no major objections were received.
The Chairman thanked Phil Camamile for his presentation and invited questions and comments from Members of both Panels, as summarised below.
In response to a question from Councillor Tilbury, Phil Camamile explained that he was unsure of what objections could be received until the consultation process was carried out. He explained that there was a risk to the Borough Council and ratepayers in that if the Internal Drainage Board were unable to keep costs down the special levy could increase. Phil Camamile explained that all feedback he had received so far had been positive and the RFC had supported the proposals in principle.
In response to a question from Councillor Crofts, Phil Camamile commented that he was not intending in taking on any additional members of staff. Instead he hoped that through collaborative working with partners the work could be completed with existing resources.
The Vice Chairman of the Regeneration and Development Panel, Councillor Mrs Wright commented that she supported the proposals and asked what work the Internal Drainage Board would be carrying out within her Ward, Snettisham. She was informed that Snettisham Parish Council had been very proactive and had arranged meetings with the Council and other key partners. The Internal Drainage Board were aware of the historical drainage issues in Snettisham, particularly those from the area around the church and if the proposals were agreed the Internal Drainage Board would work to rectify any drainage issues.
In response to a query from Councillor Baron Chenery of Horsbrugh, Phil Camamile explained that the boundary extension line followed the watershed contour and as part of the consultation process comments could be made about the proposed boundary line if required. In response to a further question from Councillor Baron Chenery of Horsbrugh, Phil Camamile confirmed that there were closed seasons where the Internal Drainage Board could not carry out works in dykes because of nesting birds.
The Portfolio Holder for ICT, Leisure and Public Space, Councillor Pope commented that consideration should be given to the contributions made by agricultural land owners. Phil Camamile explained that the figures were only estimates at this stage.
In response to a query from Councillor Bambridge, Phil Camamile explained that developer contributions were sought and received at the moment and this would not change.
The Chairman, Councillor Mrs Mellish requested that the Internal Drainage Board continue to keep the Panel updated on progress with the proposals and invited them to attend a future meeting to provide an update.
RESOLVED: (i) That the proposals were noted.
(ii) That the Internal Drainage Board be invited to a future meeting to update the Panel on progress.