Godmanchester Town Council Minutes.

The Minutes of the Godmanchester Town Council are provided simply to increase ease of access for fellow residents here in GMC. The content does not necessarily reflect the views of the webmaster (Stuart Bond) or Godmanchester Community Association. The Minutes are released to the public once they are approved.

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GODMANCHESTER TOWN COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE EXTRA ORDINARY TOWN COUNCIL MEETING HELD IN THE
QUEEN ELIZABETH SCHOOL ON THURSDAY 10 JUNE 2010

PRESENT: A WELTON: Town Mayor
Councillors: R BUTCHER, T CANT, Mrs J FLETCHER, C HYAMS, Ms J MacLEOD, A MARTIN, N PAULEY, C RICHARDSON, D TAYLOR, C VANE PERCY, G WILSON

Town Clerk: Mrs M LIDDIARD

10 members of the public were in attendance

10/90 TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES AND REASONS FOR ABSENCE

CLLR MRS WORTHINGTON: holiday; CLLR BROWN: previous engagement; CLLR MS MIDDLETON: holiday; CLLR WELLS: work commitment; CLLR MRS HULL: illness.

10/91 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

CLLR WILSON: personal interest as he is employed by the Environment Agency but he is not involved in flood risk issues; CLLR HYAMS: personal interest as he is the HDC cabinet member with responsibility for flooding in Godmanchester; CLLR MARTIN: distant relation has been made spokesperson for Offords on the A14.

10/92 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

THE MAYOR confirmed that one amendment was proposed to the Minutes of the meeting held on 15th April 2010. To be inserted under Miscellaneous: CLLR HYAMS confirmed he would attend the A14 pre public enquiry on behalf of the Town Council on 24th May 2010. No other Councillors indicated their intention to attend. This amendment being accepted, the Minutes of the Meeting held on 15th April 2010 were duly APPPROVED and signed as a complete and accurate record.

10/93 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION:

Mr Doherty stated he had first raised the issue of provision of a disabled parking bay in October 2009. He urged the Town Council to reconsider putting disabled spaces on the School Hill car park.

10/94 PRESENTATION FROM ENVIRONMENT AGENCY CONCERNING THE PROPOSED FLOOD ALLEVIATION SCHEME

THE MAYOR welcomed the team from the Environment Agency and Dr Geoff Brighty, Area Manager (Central Area) introduced his colleagues: Peta Denham: Area Flood Risk Manager; Andrew Rouse: Project Team Leader; Ian Dodson: Project Manager.

Dr Brighty confirmed the proposed scheme for Godmanchester would be the last big community scheme on the River Great Ouse. Other local schemes had been completed in St Neots and St Ives. He stated the scheme for Godmanchester was challenging because of the many intricacies such as heritage issues, river frontage, and parkland. He said the Environment Agency (EA) could not deliver this without the support from the community.

Following the feedback from the first public exhibition he confirmed there were no proposals to do any enhancements to The Causeway. The EA had listened to what people wanted and understood there was mixed community support for widening the footpath.

Dr Brighty confirmed the flood alleviation scheme had been appraised against national criteria. The cost was expected to be in the region of £7m - £11m. This would depend on the risks that developed as the scheme was finalised, and also included ongoing monitoring and maintenance once the scheme had been installed. He hoped, but could not confirm, that funding would not be affected by the Government’s proposed public spending cuts. Dr Brighty recognised there were other localised flooding issues and confirmed that the EA were working with HDC on issues of surface water flooding. He referred to the 1947 flood which had been the most severe event in Godmanchester and also the flooding in 1998, which would have been worse if not for the informal defences and structures in place such as garden walls.
The proposed scheme for Godmanchester was based on a 1 in 100 year flood or a 1% annual probability. In 1947 records show the river level was 6’4” above normal, properties on The Causeway had 3 feet of water in their ground floor rooms, the bridge at Berry Lane collapsed.
Peta Denham confirmed that the EA advice on planning applications was to build 300mm higher than the highest recorded flood levels but this was often ignored and many houses were built with a lower thresh-hold, and this is why, she said, Godmanchester needs this scheme.

EA information shows 524 residential and 42 commercial properties at risk from a 1 in 100 year flood. Godmanchester has no formal defences and the informal defences (which are not inspected) would provide protection against a 1 in 20 year event. Calculations indicate damage from a 1 in 100 year flood could cost £115m set against the cost of prevention (and maintenance) of £13m.

Ms Denham confirmed the benefits would be protection of property, lower insurance rates, safeguarding Godmanchester’s heritage, against the possibility of the clean up following a flood, the repairs, loss of utilities, health related issues and trauma and stress caused to affected residents.

The EA are very grateful to the individual residents who have reached agreement with the EA regarding flood defences on their property. 31 properties will be affected and 80 listed structures. The EA are working to minimise the loss of significant trees although they have identified several which will need to be removed. Consideration is being given to other sources of flooding and the EA have met with HDC, Anglian Water and Highways and are working with these partners to resolve problems alongside development of the Flood Alleviation Scheme.

Timescales for delivery of this project are based on finalising the design by September 2010; holding a public exhibition in July 2010; environmental assessment and statement to be undertaken between June and September 2010; submission of the formal planning application September 2010 which should be determined by December 2010; discharge of planning conditions between December 2010 and March 2011; commencement of scheme in March 2011 and substantial completion of the scheme by March 2012.

Dr Brighty reminded everyone of the unexpected flooding which happened in places such as Cockermouth, Northampton, Boscastle, York, Alconbury, Buckingham, Chichester, Tewksbury, and Gloucester and stressed these were devastating events for the whole community, not just those whose property had been affected.

THE MAYOR invited questions from Cllrs in the first instance.

CLLR PAULEY raised the issue of dredging; asking why it was done in the past but was discounted as a solution now? Dr Brighty confirmed dredging was carried out in the 1950s for benefit of land drainage and cropping. The EA do not routinely dredge rivers as they have found it to be ineffectual in preventing or managing major flood risk. The Causeway does not have much current and the EA only dredge areas which will have a flood risk benefit or for navigation purposes.

CLLR VANE PERCY raised the issue of Cooks Bridge. Of the 7 arches only 3 are open the others being blocked or silted up and he considered that when that area had been dredged and the spoil left on the banks it was keeping the river more contained when it needed to be moved away. He expressed his view that the whole channel needed widening to ensure the water could flow properly and quickly.

CLLR HYAMS said he supported any flood prevention scheme that would prevent properties in Godmanchester being flooded but he advised several residents had expressed their views that the historic Causeway should be left alone. CLLR HYAMS advised the EA that they should aim to hold their public exhibition as early in July as possible so that all residents had the opportunity to view plans and to comment. If it was held late in July, many families may be on holiday. The EA would aim to meet this request.

Dr Brighty confirmed that they had not yet established whether the wall on The Causeway could be raised or whether a new wall would be required, to be built half a metre into the river. He confirmed he would let the Town Council and public know through newsletters. He confirmed the wall was the responsibility of CCC.

It was confirmed that of the 500-600 trees on the site plan for the proposed flood alleviation scheme, up to 100 trees would be removed. Significant trees would be avoided, some of the trees identified were diseased, and the EA would reinstate where possible.

CLLR PAULEY stated that the main threat of flooding was surface water and poor drainage and confirmed there had been 2’ water the previous weekend in Cambridge Road and that a flood alleviation scheme would protect a few houses but would not deal with localised flooding. He considered there would be an outcry if the scheme was installed and flooding still happened.

Ms Denham confirmed there was an aging sewage infrastructure and that CCC was responsible for compiling a map of surface water hotspots. Where problems had been identified the EA would be working with the District Council, County Council and individual property owners to consider options to resolve these issues.

Members of the public were also invited to raise questions.

Mr Brown wanted to know where the quantity of water needed to create such a 1 in 100 year flood was going to come from, Mr Thackray urged the EA to consider enhancements such as trees and ornamental lighting columns along The Causeway, Mr Kynoch expressed his view that the banks of the Recreation Ground were being eroded. Mr Doherty gave historical information about the river in Godmanchester relevant to today’s challenges. Dr Brighty agreed to meet with the residents at an agreed time to discuss these issues.

THE MAYOR thanked the members of the EA for attending the meeting and for providing such a thorough presentation.

10/95 PLANNING:

Cllrs were asked to consider the recommendation of the planning working party in respect of the location of a disabled parking bay on The Causeway. CCC had proposed locating the disabled parking bay at the end of the lay-by closest to One Stop and the Post Office. It was reported that this area had in the past been prone to standing water and was also liable to be blocked at times by lorries making deliveries to the shop. It was AGREED by all present that the disabled parking bay should be located at the Pinfold Lane end of the lay-by. Town Clerk would relay this view to CCC.

CLLR WILSON advised that CCC might turn down this request due to the width of the lay-by at the Pinfold Lane end, in relation to recommended dimensions of a disabled parking bay and the costs involved in altering kerbs etc.

CLLR HYAMS declared an interest as he had had discussions with Highways on this matter.

THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING WILL BE HELD ON 17 JUNE 2010 IN THE TOWN HALL

The meeting ended at 9.34pm Mayor

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