Agenda item

Mr Harwood introduced the report by saying that summer storms were a growing problem resulting from climate change.  The warmer atmosphere led to greater amounts of vapour being released into the atmosphere, building up energy which was then returned to the ground by a storm.

(2)       Mr Harwood then said that both Storms Eunice and Franklin had been very significant events. Storm Eunice had been the first-ever Red Severe Weather Warning issued by the Met Office for Southeast England.  The early warning received of its approach had been beneficial for both Kent and the UK as a whole.

(3)       Mr Harwood continued by saying that the public response to the storms had evidenced a change in behaviour with very few people taking unnecessary risks. This had been supplemented by higher-risk organisations and services responding positively to advice that they too should not put themselves in danger from wind-blown debris resulting from damage to trees.  Some had been shut down during the storm.  For example, the QEII Bridge at the Dartford Crossing had been closed from 5.00 am on Friday, 18 February.   A similar closure had taken place at the Sheppey Bridge and on other parts of the transport network.

(4)       Mr Harwood said that some of the most significant damage had been to power infrastructure.  Some 71,000 private and commercial premises had been without power. The Utilities had often been unable to intervene because of the danger posed during the main part of the day.  Intervention work had resumed very quickly during the evening as the winds began to dissipate.  The telecommunications network had also been badly affected, particularly in the High Weald and Cranbrook. This had resulted in a significant loss of contact with public service staff as well as a threat to business continuity.

(5)       Mr Harwood then praised the work of the Utilities.  The UK Power Networks had worked very closely with KCC and other partners to identify vulnerable customers and restore power to the most sensitive locations.  Likewise, BT had been able to prioritise the restoration of links to respite care centres and other similar facilities.

(6)       Mr Harwood said that the loss of power to pumping stations in parts of Kent.  This was a matter of concern both at the time and for the future.  Fortunately, the two storms had not been wet storms. If they had been, there would very probably have been issues of surface water flooding and of the impact upon wastewater.

(7)        The KCC debrief following the storm had taken place on 1 March. This had identified a number of lessons to be learned which would be considered at a multi-agency debrief to be held on 10 March.

(8)       Mr Harwood concluded his introduction by saying that Storm Franklin on 21 February had been less intense than Storm Eunice, even though wind speeds of up to 62 mph had been recorded at Manston.   Its effect had been to exacerbate the impact of the previous storm which had not at that stage been fully mitigated.  Its most significant impact had been to create a storm surge in the North Sea, leading to localised flooding along the North Kent Coast.   The Fire and Rescue Service had been called out to rescue people trapped in vehicles and in some commercial premises.   The issue that needed to be examined after the event was that no Flood Alert had been given.  The first notification had been a Flood Warning, by which time some of the at-risk areas had already been inundated. 

(9)       The Chairman commended the emergency services for their response to the two storm events.  He added that an ever-greater reliance would be placed upon them in the future and that each event would require careful analysis to enable ever-better planning and preparedness.   He warned that public complacency was still a matter of concern. 

(10)     Mr Sole said that he wished to show his appreciation for the excellent work undertaken by KCC Highways, the emergency services and UK Power Networks.  He then said that the Storms had brought the issue of the disruption to landlines into focus.  Many people without digital communication facilities had found themselves completely cut off during the entire period. 

(11)     Mrs Parfitt-Reid praised the ability of UK Power Networks to communicate effectively with local residents.  She was concerned about the impact of the Storms upon landlines which had been experienced by residents in her constituency.  Elderly residents were the most profoundly affected.  In order to repair these lines, roads had to be closed in order that cherrypickers could perform the task.  This resulted in delays whilst the necessary Order was being processed.  She asked whether there was any possibility of expediting this process in the event of an emergency.

(12)     Mr Harwood replied to Mrs Parfitt-Reid’s question by saying that one of the issues being considered at the debrief was whether a protocol could be developed to streamline the process of repairing overhead lines (electronic or landlines).   BT’s Emergency Planning Officer had needed to strictly prioritise the order in which power and telecommunications were restored in the light of vulnerability.  If people were experiencing loss of facilities, they should report the matter to the responsible utility. The utility would then work in partnership with partners in the Kent Resilience Forum to prioritise where repairs were most needed.

(13)     RESOLVED that the report be noted together with the comments made during debate.