Update to Brandesburton Parish Council
on behalf of River Hull Flood Action Group (RHFAG)
December 2009
Ø A significant success!
The EA have notified us that the proposal to use Leven Carrs as a flood water storage area has been abandoned. It is “no longer viable” as their current updated models showed a greater no. of homes risking being flooded than before. Crucially no other site is being considered for flood water storage. We are awaiting a formal press release or communication of this turn round. We should all be very pleased at this outcome and rightly proud of the efforts which we feel have influenced it. However caution is needed regarding the remaining issues – abandonment of maintenance of the river banks and the pumping stations. Our focus is now firmly on these areas for ongoing discussion.
Ø Details of the upcoming public consultation in Spring 2010 are being finalised and leaflets will be sent out in advance. We are liaising with the EA about the most effective methods of publicity and communication for pre-consultation meetings and workshops in January to ensure reaching the widest audience. Public venues are likely to be Leven and North Frodingham as before, with probably 3 sessions at each, with a suggested format of a presentation, Q & A’s and break-out discussion groups. The consultation should then complete by summer 2010 and a final strategy by end 2010.
Ø Members were invited to a meeting of Hull City Council’s Environment & Transport Overview and Scrutiny committee meeting on 1st December and their specialist input on key issues such as the integral relationship of the Holderness drain system feeds was acknowledged and accepted. It is evident that there is a vital need for Hull City and East Riding Council’s engineers and officers to work closely together. The group was pleased to have been involved in this meeting forum and expects to be included in future.
Ø It has been reported that Hull City councillors are calling for dredging of the River Hull in Hull itself after seeing clearly visible evidence of silt for themselves. The EA are still unsupportive of dredging and the benefits as we and many others see them. We are still awaiting final details of the pilot dredging project on the River Hull promised to the group.
Ø The letter to Hilary Benn from the Deanery Synod was acknowledged by the EA’s Regional Director in the usual terms and referred to the schedule for the Spring 2010 consultation. He confirmed they would be consulted as an interested party.
Ø Full detailed minutes from the first East Riding Regional Flood Liaison Group meeting on 19th October have now been sent to all attendees, Town and Parish Council and Flood Action Groups. A further meeting of this group is to be arranged in due course.
Ø The Technical Group involving EA Project and Technical management met on 14th December and were given costings for maintenance of the pumping stations. These can now be closely examined by our group members and comparative costs obtained. We will then have the very necessary detailed picture of the figures involved in maintaining the whole system going into the consultation period.
We thank everyone who has been involved in the effort to challenge and oppose the EA’s plans over the past year. It has been hard work but we have achieved notable successes and look forward to further influencing the shape of the strategy in the coming months. We ask everyone to be alert to publicity for public meetings and workshops in the New Year and to make every effort to attend and contribute as before.