Agenda item

To receive an update from the Executive Manager, Flood Risk and Climate Resilience, City Development, on the implementation of the Leeds Flood Risk Management Strategy. This update examines the implementation of the Strategy over the last 12 months and provides a summary of the measures that are set out for the years ahead.

The report of the Executive Manager, Flood Risk and Climate Resilience, City

Development provided an update on the implementation of the Leeds Flood Risk Management Strategy. This update examined the implementation of the Strategy over the last 12 months and provided a summary of the measures that are set out for the years ahead.

Jonathon Moxon, the Executive Manager, Flood Risk and Climate Resilience, City

Development, outlined the following information to Members:

• The strategy was developed and covered by the Highways and Transportation department within City Development but was governed by the Food and Water Management Act, which required a Flood Risk Management Strategy.

·  The strategy had been considered at the Scrutiny Board for Investment and Inclusive Growth on the 28^th of February 2024, as a statutory update and was brought to the Committee annually with the increasing role to address climate resilience. Flood risk was the most significant climate change risk posed in Leeds.

·  Globally and within the UK, extreme weather events were becoming more prevalent. Floods and droughts as well as the unpredictable nature of storms had increased. In 2023 global temperatures were 1°C higher than average temperatures measured from 1850-1900.

·  Data for weather events in Leeds over 2023 was outlined, with a stark increase in the number of storms and heavy rainfall. Rainfall data was available at a street level but was generally presented at a catchment level. The West and Northwest of Leeds had experienced the highest levels of rain over the last year.

·  There was a dedicated team working on incidents and impacts, some, including contractors, were on call on a 24/7 basis. Around 190 hotspots were managed around the city to protect vital infrastructure and communities.

·  Unprecedented high levels of rain fall impacted farmers and growers and sports and recreation facilities. The West Yorkshire Flood Programme worked with sports clubs to advice of methods, such as soil health and drainage measures, to alleviate the pressure of floods and high rainfall.

·  A map was displayed that was used to track locations where incidents had occurred, with ten categories for incidents informing monitoring framework.

·  Severe rainfall on the 6^th of May 2024 had begun in Northwest Leeds, with the average rainfall for the month occurring in one hour. This had serious implications at Horsforth Railway Station and Low Lane, with the road being closed by Yorkshire Water to repair surfaces and drainage systems. The impact was largely due to capacity issues of complex, integrated sewer and drainage pipes.

·  Different drainage and sewer systems were the responsibility of a range of Authorities, with better integration models required to limit future impacts. Impact on highways was a major consideration for flood management and response.

·  A statutory role of the service was consultation responses for planning applications which was a strong tool for adaptability and surface water management, however, resource limitations were noted for technical appraisals. Not all Local Authorities followed this model and the number of planning applications in Leeds was significant.

·  Leeds Flood Alleviation Schemes (FAS) were developed under delegated powers from the Environment Agency and focused on main river schemes and were considered a good, consistent delivery model.

·  Leeds had delivered FAS1, with notable alleviation and flood defence projects completed or in development at Otley, Farnley Beck, Wortley and Meanwood, Potternewton and Wharfdale.

·  The Farnley Beck scheme cost was approximately a £1.5million investment and focused on de-culverting.

·  The Sheepscar Beck scheme was due to be completed in Autumn 2024, with funding provided by a range of parties which had been complicated as there were over 1,000 owners of the beck who owned adjacent land; repairs were also complex as the original brickwork was bespoke and some of the beck was in a conservation area.

·  The cost for the first stage of the Wortley Beck scheme was to be approximately £20million, with substantial work required. A number of options were under consideration, including a large storage reservoir.

·  The goal of the strategy was to target the areas of greatest risk. Funding challenges were noted with reliance on partner and external funding acquisition which required business cases and monitoring of changes in grant funding rules.

·  A video link was shared to Members to watch outside the meeting, which detailed the experience of flood victims in Otley and the difference a flood defence scheme made for a community.

·  An asset management team monitored completed flood defence infrastructure, this included technical contracted workers and innovative kit.

·  An operational base was located at Stourton, including an incident room to monitor flood incidents as well as storing critical equipment and spares.

·  Communication and engagement work was through campaigns, community events and there was an information board to provide clarity on the scheme in Otley.

·  Leeds FAS was done in a phased approach, with FAS2 nearing completion which was to provide a defence against a 1:200 year flood event, which would be comparable to the Boxing Day 2015 flood. A lot of the infrastructure were considered active structures which required intense monitoring.

·  Calverley Flood Storage, and other nearby works, were developed in partnership with Bradford Council and protected the railway line near Kirkstall Forge.

·  An animation was shown to Members to display how Calverley Flood Storage operated, holding back up to 1million meters² of water from housing and infrastructure and flooding into areas closer to the city centre. The work included tree planting, a large embankment and automated gates. Stringent carbon targets had been set against the scheme as carbon mitigation saved money in the long term and also the effects of responding to severe flood events had high carbon output.

·  Nature based solutions, including, soil aeriation, hedge and tree planting, glass conversion, buffer strips and earth bunds, complemented engineering works by reducing water flow. By 2027, 750,000 trees were to be planted, in partnership with the Forest Association.

·  Long term flood risk protection measures were the development of the Aire Resilience Company, in partnership with the Rivers Trust, aspiring to become a legal entity, levering private business investment.

During the discussions the following matters were considered:

• Partnership working models and funding allocation to bring forward schemes was queried, in response it was outlined that the service held responsibility and led the Leeds FAS, with powers granted by the Environment Agency. The programme board involved the Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water and Network Rail who all contribute towards funding, with staff secondment arrangements between agencies.
• Funding arrangements were mixed, through Environment Agency grants, CIL allocation and WYCA business growth. Projects over £100million required approval from the Treasury.
• The river Wharfe catchment began near Tadcaster, determined by the Environment Agency, and the Council had tied into this model, with developments at Harewood Bridge and in Otley and also participated in the Wharfdale Flooded Communities programme to determine where further infrastructure was required, as well as involvement with the Wharfe Flood Partnership.
• Beaver introduction projects were in discussion, with an event planned in September 2024 to discuss options with relevant partners. Introduction was being considered in the Aire valley at Broughton Hall in Skipton.
• Difficulties contacting Yorkshire Water to resolve issues were noted and whether Elected Members could have a direct contact for senior officers was queried. In response it was outlined that a phone call was required for Yorkshire Water to log issues and Members were welcome to email the Flood Risk Management team to pass on information. Improving lines of communication were raised at partnership meetings.
• Following the flooding in Horsforth on the 6^th of May 2024, proposals for improving drainage, gullies and grates to limit future impacts were complicated as surface water fed into combined sewers and may cause issues elsewhere. A solution was suggested as consideration of where excess water will travel to in order to manage the separation of systems. This issue was agreed to be discussed outside of the meeting.
• Although it was expected for the West and Northwest of Leeds to experience higher rainfall, given its geography and topography, the level of rainfall had been unprecedented in comparison to previous data. The reason for this was unclear but it was suspected to be changing weather patterns caused by climate change.
• The 1:200 year flood incident measure was explained as the likelihood of an incident occurring based against recent data and the measures needed to be in place to limit impact. It was noted that standards and measures were changing due to the cascading effect of climate change and a more dynamic approach was needed. The Boxing Day 2015 flood was considered a 1:200 year flood incident.
• Funding for the Aire Resilience Company and maintaining future nature based solution provision was not yet secured and would have to be sought through private and public funding streams. Funding for this mitigation work was hoped to become independent and long term but there were no set mechanisms for accessing funding. This topic was to be examined further by the Committee through a future item or at a Working Group.
• The services input into the planning process for new developments in areas considered high risk, was providing technical appraisals for flood risk assessments, also considering any impact of proposed tree removal.
• Under the Land Drainage Act, removing trees within 9 meters of watercourse required permission from the relevant authority, which in Leeds would be the Council. Any unconsented removal of trees was enforced by the Environment Act, overseen by Environmental Enforcement.
• It was confirmed that the Otley scheme was based against a 1:25 flood event model, the overall cost and the works required for added protection was to have a large impact on resident amenity as high walls were needed. There was the ability to revisit plans at this location, and also measures that could be implemented upstream, as there were wide implications if severe flooding occurred in the future.
• Existing flood defence infrastructure was thought to have reduced the impact of high rain fall and the occurrence of severe flooding. The city centre scheme had been used nine times since its completion. A communication had been sent to Elected Members in January 2024 that a serious flood could be expected which did not come to fruition likely due to both existing infrastructure and luck.
• As the Council had received blame for the flood in Horsforth in May 2024, the ongoing work of the service and the multitude of factors that lead to a flood was to be communicated back to residents, along with the fact that defences and drainage involved a wide scope of agencies.
• Some Members had visited the site at Calverley Flood Storage and it was welcome to see the bat houses that had been included in the scheme to promote wildlife.
• Better links with partners was required to provide suitable defences for businesses and communities along the river Wharfe as there was some concern raised for the lack of plans and upstream prevention measures in place. This was agreed to be reported to the Wharfe Flood Partnership.
• Members thanked the service or their significant, highly important work.

RESOLVED – That the report, along with Members comments, be noted, to help inform implementation of the Strategy and its further development to be considered at the next strategy update due to take place in 2025.