Issue - meetings

            The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Community & Resources, which advised that as part of its new duties as a Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), the Council must undertake a Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (PFRA). This was a high level screening exercise, to determine whether there was a local flood risk within the LLFA boundary based on historic and potential future flood risk data.

            The PFRA was previously agreed by the Board in 2011 and must be reviewed every six years. An updated Preliminary Assessment Report (PAR), along with a Review Self-Assessment Form had been produced and submitted to the Environment Agency (EA). The updated PAR set out how the assessment had been undertaken and provided a robust evidence base to help support the full update of the Flood Risk Assessment Strategy.

            The outcome of the first two stages of flood risk assessment review was that no Flood Risk Area (FRA’s) was proposed for Halton. As a result the next two stages, the production of Flood Risk Maps and preparation of a Flood Risk Management Plan for FRA’s were not triggered.

            A Member queried that in the report Halton Brow was mentioned as having been subject to significant flooding, but was not mentioned further. Therefore was work planned to eliminate this regular flooding and will the new road configuration as it passes over Halton Brow leading to the Mersey Gateway Bridge, make this flooding worse, better or have no effect? Also would the work carried out by the Mersey Gateway programme eliminate the risk of flooding at Halton Brow. It was agreed that a written response would be provided.

            It was proposed that the Board endorse the report and recommend it to the Executive Board for approval prior to publication by the EA by 22 December 2017.

            RESOLVED: That the findings of the Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment Review be recommended to Executive Board for approval.