Issue - meetings

Some relevant background papers on the issue of Flood Risk Management are attached to this agenda. Officers from the Council and the Environment Agency will deliver a joint presentation to the Panel on the day.

Ian Herve addressed the Panel. A copy of his statement is available on the Panel’s Minute Book and online as an attachment to these minutes, a summary is set out below.

This dramatic photograph was taken on the late afternoon Christmas Eve, 2013. It shows a building just downstream of Cleveland Bridge.  It houses vulnerable and infirm residents.  Thankfully the flood peaked later that night and only the basement was flooded.

It is a relatively low flow event, measured by the Environment Agency as less than the 1/20 year Annual Return Risk.  That is, slightly less than the floods of the year 2000.

The Environment Agency estimate the flow at about 250 cubic meters per second.  That is 250 tonnes of water is passing a given point in that photograph every second.  Do the multiplication and it becomes about 900,000 tonnes every hour. The 1/100 year flood will bring flows about 60% greater, over 1.5 million tonnes an hour will pass over Pulteney Weir.

In June 2012, the Environment Agency stated that “The current level of flood risk in Bath is considered unacceptable”. At that time the number of properties currently at risk within the 1:100 annual probability footprint was put at approximately 1,100, increasing to 1,800 with climate change taken into account. In their September 2014 update the numbers were put at 930 at the moment and increasing up to maybe 2000 with climate change.

We urge the Panel and this new administration to seriously address this problem before history is repeated and action becomes necessary after a disastrous flood.

Robin Kerr, Chairman of the Federation of Bath Residents’ Associations (FoBRA) addressed the Panel. A copy of his statement is available on the Panel’s Minute Book and online as an attachment to these minutes, a summary is set out below.

He asked that flood mitigation measures upstream of Pulteney Bridge be seriously investigated and adopted as policy by the Council. He said that it was his understanding that significant effect could be obtained at about £6m, for part of which an Environment Agency contribution should be available.

He said that the approximate figure of £6m should not be confused with the £6.2m which has been pledged through the Rotating Infrastructure Fund for the Enterprise Zone.

Sarah Hardick addressed the Panel. A copy of her statement is available on the Panel’s Minute Book and online as an attachment to these minutes, a summary is set out below.

1. A few years ago the sluice gate got stuck on the railings & couldn’t rise. Although it seemed there hadn’t been much rain the flooding upstream of Pulteney Weir was far worse than we would have expected.  As soon as the gate was reopened the river dropped dramatically, please explain how flooding will not be worse with no gate to open?

2. Disruption to our business. I expect this work will be carried out in the summer to avoid high river levels. This will shut down our motor boat business & could  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8