Agenda item

To receive an update from the Cabinet Member for Community Services and the Director, Environment, Planning and Enforcement on progress on work following the severe weather and flooding over Christmas and New Year 2013-14.

(1)       The Cabinet Committee received a report of the Cabinet Member for Community Services and the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport which contained information on progress made in relation to lessons learnt during the Christmas/New Year 2013-14 Storms & Floods.

(2)       Mr Hill introduced the report stating that the Christmas/New Year 2013-14 Storms and Floods had caused chaos across the county.  Emergency services had done a first class job but lessons had been learnt and this report related to the action being taken to address these issues.

(3)       After a wide range of public consultations and internal and external debriefs a comprehensive ‘lessons learnt’ report had been produced and approved by Cabinet.

(4)       Paul Crick, Director, Environment, Planning and Enforcement, and Tony Harwood, Senior Resilience Officer, were in attendance to introduce the report and in particular referred to the following:

(5)       A series of internal and partnership debriefs had been carried out and management structures established to deliver the 17 recommendations identified in the report.  Within KCC, a cross-directorate Steering Group had been established, with Director-level representation, which co-ordinated training for staff to ensure the recommendations were embedded across KCC.

(6)       Similarly, the Kent Resilience Forum (KRF) had established a multi-agency Pan-Kent Flood Group, chaired by the Environment Agency (EA).  Additionally, the multi-agency Strategic Recovery Coordination Group, chaired by the Director of Environment, Planning and Enforcement, had reconvened on 23 September, to review lessons learnt, current progress and preparations for winter 2014-15.  Existing Agency plans and our own plans had been reviewed and refreshed prior to being republished on KCC’s website and partner websites.  Training had been undertaken for staff across KCC and partner organisations.  

(7)       A series of flood fairs had been held across the county and the booklet ‘What should I do in an emergency?’ had been produced and distributed widely to parish councils and the public, particularly in areas at high risk of flooding events.  The booklet could be found on the Kent Resilience Forum website http://www.kentprepared.org.uk/

(8)       In terms of preparedness compared to this time last year things had changed considerably.  In relation to community resilience after the experience of last Christmas and New Year community behaviour had changed.  One example of this was that sign up to the Flood Warning Direct, the EA’s flood alert system, had increased and uptake was currently at 90% among businesses and households.  This, against the EA national target of 60%, showed just how much last year’s events had heightened awareness and resilience in potentially vulnerable areas.  Surface water flooding was one area where the Pan-Kent Flood Group work would enhance resilience in the future.

(9)       A great deal of work had been done training flood wardens within these communities, people who had local knowledge and understanding of the characteristics of their area.  To date 160 wardens had been trained within these areas and were now equipped and their key role was being the eyes and ears on the ground.

(10)    An e-learning package covering the training that had been devised from lessons learnt would go live on KNet by the end of the day and staff would be encouraged to undertake the training.  This would ensure that a wider spread of staff were prepared and enhance the response network making it stronger and less dependent on fewer people.

(11)    Although many of the RAG ratings against the 17 recommendations were amber this was largely because they were work in progress.   Mr Crick was confident that KCC was far better prepared for any flood events than they had been last year.  Emergency Planning in Kent needed to be sustainable, systems being put in place needed to be enduring, this was where the embedding of training across KCC and partnership organisations was vital.  Training was being undertaken across the county, from Broadstairs in the east to Gravesham in the west.  Community engagement, including within unparished areas, was as important as it had ever been.

(12)    Reassurance was given that Romney Marsh had not been forgotten.  Although it had not been badly affected in the recent storms and floods there was still a flood risk.  There were some significant EA coastal defence works ongoing just over the border in East Sussex which would improve Kent flood defences as these were potential flooding ‘backdoor’ routes into Romney and Denge Marshes.  There had also been some significant work at the Dungeness B power station around flood defence in which KCC had been a key stakeholder.  Shepway was the ninth most flood vulnerable district in the country; an effective local multi-agency flood plan was in place which covered Romney Marsh and the wider Shepway district.  Coastal flooding was a threat and was on KCC’s radar.

(13)    With regard to ‘Recommendation 14: Explore all possible opportunities with partners and beneficiaries to contribute to the priority flood defence schemes required in Kent, including influencing the EA, Defra & HM Treasury to secure funding to deliver the schemes that do not currently receive sufficient Flood Defence Grant in Aid (FDGiA) funding even with substantial partnership contributions’ Mr Crick stated that he and his team were preparing a paper which would be brought to the next meeting of the Cabinet Committee.

(14)    RESOLVED that the Committee noted the progress being made against the 17 lessons learnt recommendations.