Update on Flood Meetings

[rosegriffintwidell]

Not sure if you can follow the items below.  It is actually an excel spread-sheet summarising the meeting between the Flood Risk Action Groups set up by local villages and all the local council e.g. Basildon, Rochford, Rayleigh, Castle Point, Essex Highways, Essex Water Regulation etc. plus Anglian Water (AW), Environmental Health (EH). Peter Plummer represented both Bowers Gifford and North Benfleet. if ANYONE WOULD LIKE A COPY OF THE SPREAD-SHEET PLEASE LET ME KNOW - IT'S A LOT EASIER TO FOLLOW. Anyway, I've tried to highlight the BG& NB issues covered but other items also effect us as a blockate in one area will

Photos of flood areas in Osborne Road, Pound Lane, Burnt Mills Road, Lower Road and Westlake Park were some of those included  in the display - and were subject to some interest by the agencies who were quite unaware of the problems until these meetings began.

1. Can we please have some guidance on how to put together the document on Groundwater flooding issues? ECC Send links to Sue with advice on groundwater flooding. By the next meeting
2. a) What are the maintenance schedules for the ditches, brooks, and rivers for our area?
b) What do the maintenance schedules involve?
c) We are aware many areas have riparian owners. Please can we be advised on what can be done to ensure riparian owners carry out their responsibilities of maintenance? EA

Basildon Borough Council -  to send the list of which ditches they maintain and what the maintenance involves by next meeting


ECC - To be provided before the next meeting.


Rochford District Council - The maintenance schedules and detail of works conducted by the EA are published online.
The maintenance is due in this area between July and December every year.
EA to send website address of the maintenance schedules to Sue.

ECC advised that the flood group could help raise awareness of riparian owner’s responsibilities.
ECC to send literature to the flood group (Sue) so the group could distribute information.

If the group has any problems with riparian owners in Rochford, contact Shaun Scrutton ([e-mail])       Before the next meeting.

EA to resend website addresses of maintenance schedules to Sue. By the next meeting.
Group (Peter and Sue) to send photos to EA of Rawreth Brook at the EON energy site. By the next meeting.
To be done at the next meeting.


ECC to resend the documents to Sue by the next meeting.
3. The Bridge at Church Road (Rawreth, grid reference TQ 776 934) is a catalyst for flooding for the following reasons: the bridge is low and silts up, and is a pinch point for when the tidal and river flow meet. We welcome thoughts on what can be done to mitigate the flooding. For example, could there be clap/ flap valves installed to ensure water doesn’t go into the nearby properties? EA


ECC Highways -

Rochford District Council EA to provide an update at the next meeting on when the river was last maintained.

Next meeting. Completed- see discussion point 1.


Richard to speak to Andy Withers on this. Update at next meeting.
A Rochford District Council (RDC) engineer will investigate the ditch. RDC will determine who owns the ditch. Sue to send map location to RDC in advance of engineer carrying out site visit. All to be done by the next meeting.
4. a) At the Fairglen’s interchange (Junction of the A127 and A1245) a pumping station was built to alleviate flooding. Where does this pumping station discharge water to?
b) There are discharges related to the A130 which we are concerned about. Could we please have ways forward on the following:
- Should the water come out the storm drain (opposite the brook that comes out of Church Rd, Rawreth)?
- From the A130 there is a pipe which runs along a ditch in a field opposite Church Rd (Rawreth). What can be done to ensure this pipe does not cause the field the flood?
- During a flood event, the subway under the A130 is pumped and we are concerned about where the water is pumped to. We feel the water runs into the balancing pond and contributes to highway flooding on the continuation of Old London Rd which leads to Southend Rd.
- Could there be a store of water to ensure the pipe which leads into the Benfleet Brook (it is a large pipe at the bottom of the field on Academy Football Field) controls the flow of water? ECC Highways ECC: Sue and Peter to send photos to Karl, and to have a site visit with Karl or an appropriate colleague to identify sites and look for solutions for these points.
Next meeting.

5. What can be done to mitigate the flooding at the Junction of Pound Lane and Burnt Mills Road (grid reference TQ 742 905)? ECC Response - ECC Highways Ditches and maintenance have been identified and enforcement has been taken.
Jetting under the A130 to be done.

 
6. We have a problem in North Benfleet and Hullbridge that rainwater off the buildings goes into the sewerage system which causes the system to be overwhelmed. Are there any plans to deal with this? For example, could there be any future plans to add drains and ditches? Anglian Water (AW) AW to send a list of the schemes and the details of the schemes which are going on in North and South Benfleet to the group (to Sue).
AW to provide literature to the group on what individual property owners can do to manage their surface water.
AW advised if a foul flood event occurs, contact Rob Figg to ensure clean-up happens appropriately ([e-mail]) please copy any correspondence relating to North Benfleet to [e-mail] Before the next meeting.


Anglian Water to resend updates to Sue before the next meeting.


Completed (received at the meeting).
7. Have there been any flood risk assessment calculations at Battlesbridge Lockgate? If so, could we please have a copy?
EA Carrying out a flood risk assessment for Battlesbridge Lockgate is on the EA’s programme of works.  (Please note that this effects Bowers Gifford & North Benfleet in as much as if the floodgates are closed then water accumulates at the end of Pound Lane because it cannot be released quickly enough under the A127 - if the flood gates are not opened floods also occur under the Rayleigh Weir roundabout and the old A130 roundabout under the A127)

The flood group (Peter or Sue) to send photos to Environment Agency (Roger Webster) to include in the assessment.



Before the next meeting. Study completed.
Three members of the flood group to meet with Environment Agency outside the meeting to have a consultation on the findings of the assessment.
AOB
Nicola China (ECC) to send details of flood action groups who have taken part in the surface water scheme. Details to be sent to Sue. Flood group agreed to take part in ECC Surface Water scheme.

Peter to send pictures and details to Fire and Rescue (Duncan Lewis) of a ditch to be dug out.

[rosegriffintwidell]

There appears to be an error on the above matrix. I think (sincerely hope) there has been an error in the response from Essex County Council.  Under item they say that they are going to carry out jetting under the A130 to help resolve the flood problem at the end of Pound Lane and Burnt Mills Road.  They must mean the A127.

ECC also states that it has issued enforcement notices to riparian land owners with regard to ditch maintenance. However, I am informed that part of the problem in Burnt Mills Road is that the road is crumbling away into the ditches.

I note that parts of Burnt Mills Road have been resurfaced. 

As stated I was not able to attend the 30th April meeting but will follow up at the next.

Rose