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Present:

Members                                                  Officers

Councillor English (Chairman)                    Oliviya Parfitt

Councillor Harwood

Councillor Brice

Councillor Garten

Councillor Jeffery

Reserve Member

Councillor Springett

Item

Minute

1. Apologies

No apologies were received.

2. Substitute Members

There were no Substitute Members in attendance.

Councillor Springett was in attendance as a Reserve Member in accordance with the Overview & Scrutiny Committee’s previous agreement that Reserve Members would be welcome to attend all Working Group (the Group) Meetings.

3. Approach to the Review

The Group discussed the Review’s Scope attached at Appendix 1 to the agenda.

External and Internal Stakeholder Consultation

It was felt that Kent County Council’s (KCC) involvement in the review should be extended to include its role as the Highways Authority, as well as the Lead Local Flooding Authority. This was due to the importance of highways drainage connecting to the sewage network, alongside mention of diffuse pollutants and that the sewage systems associated with new developments were being monitored by other companies as opposed to Southern Water. To support the highways’ involvement, it was felt appropriate to receive information from the Council’s Planning Department in relation to the development control requirements (if any) relating to sewage for new developments, alongside National Highways and the Upper Medway Internal Drainage Board.

It was highlighted that KCC’s Kent Risk Management Committee would also be considering water quality, and that it would be helpful to ascertain whether there was an overlap between the working group’s remit and that Committee’s consideration of water quality.  As other Local Authorities had been reviewing water quality, it was suggested that the Democratic Services Officer look into how these had taken place.

In considering the impact to the local environment, it was suggested that the Council’s Biodiversity and Climate Change Manager be requested to provide evidence to the group.

The Democratic Services Officer advised that it would be suitable to conduct the internal stakeholder consultation first, to allow the Group to receive updates and other relevant information ahead of interviewing the external stakeholders. This would provide increased notice to those stakeholders.

Information relating to the review

The Group felt it would be helpful to have the below information where possible:

·         Updates concerning the Medway Flood Partnership and flood risk mitigation measures;

·         Environment Agency’s updated FCERM Plan;

·         Data and/or information relating to sewage plant capacity;

·         Complaint’s data;

·         Incidents of surface water flooding and a map of those incidents, preferably across multiple years;

·         The number of requests for land clearance;

4. Frequency of Meetings

After discussing the meetings required for Internal and External Consultation, the group felt that it would be appropriate to have two meetings to interview MBC Officers and two meetings to interview External Stakeholders.

The meetings with MBC Officers would take place before Christmas 2022. The meetings with External stakeholders would take place in the New Year. The Democratic Services Officer was requested to contact the External Stakeholders to let them know and maintain a good working relationship.

The relevant Lead Members would be consulted after the above evidence collection meetings.

The Group expressed a preference for in-person meetings in the first instance, with virtual meetings as a second option. Hybrid Meetings were not felt suitable.

5. Summary of Agreed Actions

Actions: That the Democratic Services Officer

1.   Consult the following individuals to partake in the review:

a.    Major Projects Team Leader (MBC)

b.    KCC (from their perspective as the Highways Authority)

c.    National Highways

d.    UMIDB

e.    Biodiversity and Climate Change Manager

2.   Consult the Democratic Services Officers at other authorities, such as Wealden Council, to see how they have approached similar reviews; 

3.   Inform the external stakeholders that have agreed to partake in the review that they will be consulted in January 2023;

4.   Organise x2 meetings with officers to collect evidence, to take place before Christmas 2022;

5.   Consult MG for updated information relating to the review; and

6.   Consult the KCC Kent Risk Management Committee to ascertain whether there will be any overlap between the Working Group’s terms of reference, and the former’s review of water quality.

6. Duration of Meeting

5.30 p.m. – 6.30 p.m.