Meeting documents

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Contact: Charlotte Gordon; Email: cgordon@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk; 

Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 77 KB

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 22 September 2015, copy attached as an Appendix.

 

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 22 September 2015 were agreed as a correct record.

 

2.

Declarations of Interest

Members to declare any interests.

 

Minutes:

Councillor Lambert declared a Personal Interest in Item 3 – Update report on the Flooding on the Willows Development as he is the Ward Member for Buckinghamshire County Council and Aylesbury Vale District Council.

 

Councillor Andrew Cole declared a Personal Interest in Item 3 – Update report on the Flooding on the Willows Development as he is the Ward Member for Aylesbury Vale District Council.

3.

Update report on the flooding on the Willows Development pdf icon PDF 60 KB

Minutes:

The Environment and Living Scrutiny Committee received an update on the flooding at the Willows development during December 2013 and February 2014.  The Willows estate was located to the West of Aylesbury and was bounded by the A418 Oxford Road, Ellen Road and the Stoke Brook.  The Stoke Brook, which was classed as a ‘Main River’ by the Environment Agency, was an open watercourse throughout the estate.  The Environment Agency were responsible for managing the flooding from the Brook, and Aylesbury Vale District Council had responsibility for the east bank of the Brook abutting the Willows Estate.

 

In December 2013, the Willows Estate experienced a number of flooding incidents and, although no properties were affected, car parking areas were flooded with surface water.  In February 2014, the South East of England suffered extreme rainfall.  This affected the Willows and 80 properties suffered internal flooding.  Following the flooding, Buckinghamshire County Council produced a Section 19 Flood Investigation Report, which was published on 30 April 2014.

 

Following the flooding, Central Government promised funding for the residents affected, which was available in two streams.  Firstly, Council Tax or Business Rate Rebates for the time residents were out of their homes or businesses, and secondly a ‘Repair and Renewal Grant’, which was a maximum of £5,000 to each flooded property to help improve their resilience to future flood events.  From the Repair and Renewal Grant, £500 per property can be used towards studies and/or flood risk reports.  This allowed the Council to spend £40,000 on feasibility work.  

 

The feasibility study included the whole of the upper catchment of the Stoke Brook to ensure that any works carried out in the Willows did not have an adverse effect upstream.  This increased the cost of the original estimate from £16,000 to £27,000, which led to a delay as Aylesbury Vale District Council attempted to identify match funding for this from partner organisations.  The financial impact of the study was decreased using funding from HS2 and the Environment Agency.

 

Temporary flood defences were put in place and were stored on the estate in a compound maintained by Transport for Bucks.  Additional monitoring of the Stoke Brook was put in place upstream of the flooding.  Aylesbury Vale District Council, the Environment Agency and Buckinghamshire County Council would be notified by text and email should the water level in the Brook rise above an agreed level.  The feasibility report also produced a long term capital scheme that could be commenced if funding were available at a later date.

 

Buckinghamshire County Council also invested in flood prevention measures, and used part of the Repair and Renewal Grant to install a trash screen to prevent fly tipped rubbish from blocking the culvert on Oxford Road.  This measure was maintained by the Environment Agency and was inspected every two weeks.  It would be a permanent structure and had flood defence consent. Aylesbury Vale District Council would also carry out monthly checks.

 

Members of the Committee stated that the coordinated response between Aylesbury  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 42 KB

Minutes:

The Committee was provided with a work programme outlining the items that would be considered at future meetings.  It was noted that the following items were currently on the work programme:

 

8 December

·         Community Safety Partnership update, to include Anti-Social Behaviour and Domestic Violence.

 

11 February

·         Five Ways to Wellbeing and Mental Health Update

·         Encouraging the use of parks and open spaces

 

23 March

·         Right to Buy Policy

·         VAHT update

·         Aylesbury Homelessness Action Group

 

Councillors also asked that the following items be added to the work programme.

·         Private rented accommodation

·         The adoption of the riverine corridor in Fairford Leys

·         A further update report on the response to the flooding on the Willows Development

·         The policy and maintenance programme for trees in the Vale.

 

RESOLVED –

 

That the work programme of the scrutiny committee as discussed at the meeting be agreed.