Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of City Development seeking approval for the Council to lead, and develop with partners, a feasibility study to define the extent, standard of protection and subsequently engineer suitable solutions for a flood alleviation scheme upstream of the city centre. In addition, the report seeks approval to incur expenditure for the resourcing of technical staff, feasibility design, river modelling, ecological surveys, legal and business case work, securing of planning permission and procuring of consultants and contractors for these purposes.

Further to Minute No. 157, 9^th March 2016, the Director of City Development submitted a report which sought approval for the Council to lead and develop with partners, a feasibility study to define the extent, the standard of protection and subsequently, the engineering of suitable solutions for a flood alleviation scheme upstream of the city centre. In addition, the report also sought approval to incur expenditure for the resourcing of technical staff, feasibility design, river modelling, ecological surveys, legal and business case work, securing of planning permission and the procurement of consultants and contractors for these purposes.

In introducing the report, the Chair provided information on the current position regarding the development of a feasibility study and business case for a flood alleviation scheme, and highlighted the need for further cross-party work to be undertaken on the issue of insurance provision for affected commercial properties.  Furthermore, the Board received an update on the continued work being undertaken on the development of the Regeneration Strategy for the Kirkstall Corridor.

In noting the co-ordinated approach being taken to develop flood alleviation measures, Members also welcomed the actions being taken to ensure that any future work to reduce flood risk upstream was compatible with the ongoing scheme and would not negatively impact upon downstream communities.

In addition, emphasis was also placed upon the importance of other measures which could be introduced alongside a flood alleviation scheme, such as the further use of flood plains and tree replacement schemes for example, both within the Leeds boundary and beyond, to the upper reaches of the catchment area. Following this, it was requested that further details on such initiatives be submitted to a future meeting of the Board in due course.

In noting that Leeds had provided a submission to the ‘National Flood Resilience Review’, it was requested that once the review had been published, a report on such matters be submitted to the Board for consideration.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That approval be given for Leeds City Council, as Lead Local Flood Authority, to work with the Environment Agency and partners in order to direct and procure further work to develop proposals in efforts to secure funding to advance an upstream flood alleviation scheme and programme of flood defence measures;

(b)  That authority to spend £3m be approved, to be funded from the Environment Agency’s Flood Defence Grant in Aid allocation in order to progress the recommendations of the submitted report, including resourcing of technical staff, further feasibility design and river modelling work, undertake ecological surveys, legal work, securing of planning permission and procurement (Authority to Tender) of consultants and contractors for these purposes;

(c)  That the scope of the feasibility study and investigation, as covered under section 3.1.8 of the submitted report, be agreed;

(d)  That the Director of City Development be authorised to negotiate the detailed terms of the acquisition of land required to facilitate the construction of the flood defences;

(e)  That the necessary authority be provided in order to negotiate the detailed terms, and to subsequently enter into legal agreements with third parties for the incorporation of flood defence solutions;

(f)  That it be noted that a working group representing the upper and lower reaches of the catchment outside of the Leeds boundary is to be established;

(g)  That it be noted that the Chief Officer (Highways and Transportation) shall be responsible for the implementation of resolutions (a)-(f) above;

(h)  That the intention to bring forward a Regeneration Strategy for the Kirkstall Corridor which will ensure the integration of future flood alleviation works with any land use changes, development proposals and property improvements, and that will safeguard and promote the sustainable environmental, economic and social future of the area, be noted.

(i)  That further information be submitted to the Board in due course, both on measures, such as the further use of flood plains and tree replacement schemes, which could be introduced alongside a flood alleviation scheme and also on the conclusions of the ‘National Flood Resilience Review’ and the implications for Leeds arising from that review.