Minutes:
(1) Mr Harwood tabled a matrix setting out current progress towards completion of the Local Multi-agency Flood Plans and related training and exercise events. Kent had chosen to produce these Plans on a District basis. The majority of Plans had been completed, but still required DEFRA checklist scoring. The Plans would then be signed off by the Kent Resilience Forum. Responsibility for this had been delegated by the Forum to Mr Harwood and his colleague from the Environment Agency, Emma Watts.
(2) Mr Harwood described the training as very interactive, designed to identify vulnerabilities and innovative ways of working. Training was seen as particularly important. The programmed training and exercise events had either taken place or were scheduled to be held within the first quarter of 2011.
(3) Mr Harwood confirmed that the guiding principles for the plans were informed by lessons identified by the 2000 Floods and the ensuing Select Committee report. Both he and Emma Watts had been invited to address the national DEFRA training on the subject, whilst Kent’s planning approach was seen by DEFRA and the Environment Agency as Best Practice.
(4) Mr Harwood agreed with the Committee Members that work with the Environment Agency needed to be so close as to be seamless. Both KCC and the Environment Agency were committed to and working towards this goal.
(5) In response to a question from Mr Vye, Mr Harwood said that unannounced, “no notice” exercises were regularly held. These involved many people at very local levels, including the community wardens.
(6) The Chairman noted that many parish councils and their clerks were gaining greater awareness of their responsibilities. His own Parish Council in Ashford had developed the capability of contacting half its residents by e.mail at very short notice in the event of an emergency.
(7) Mr Harwood agreed with the Chairman that parishes such as Staplehurst, Aylesford and Littlebourne were operating to a very high standard in this regard. It was essential to develop a common standard throughout the County and also to ensure that those Parishes that were in a position to act self-sufficiently did not forget that they were part of a much broader network. In February 2008 for example, a Parish Council had exercised exemplary speed in providing its residents with sandbags. Unfortunately, it had not alerted Kent Highways and Kent Fire and Rescue to the emergency.
(8) Mr Hibberd asked to what extent KASS were involved in the consultation process. Mr Harwood replied that his colleague, Uta Critchley, KASS Emergency Planning Officer, had led the effort to identify those who were most vulnerable. This information had been disseminated to a local level to inform “warning and informing” strategies.
(9) In discussion, the Committee asked whether each of its Members could be provided with the Local Flood Plan for their District. It also agreed to invite Norman Bateman from KHS to describe the work that was being undertaken to individually log all surface water flood instances.
(10) The Committee considered that it should update the Kent Association of Local Councils on its work. This would be achieved through the production of its report to the Cabinet Portfolio Holder, which could then be used as the basis for a general local press release.
(11) RESOLVED that Mr Harwood be thanked for his presentation and that:-
(a) Mr Norman Bateman from KHS be invited to address the next meeting of the Committee to describe the work being undertaken to individually log all surface water flood instances in the County;
(b) each Committee Members be provided with the Local Multi-agency Flood Plan for their District; and
(c) the Committee’s annual report to the Cabinet Portfolio Holder form the basis of a press release and an information bulletin to the Kent Association of Local Councils.