The Democratic Services Officer introduced the report, stating that the working group’s (the Group’s) draft report was attached at Appendix 1 to the report. The report recommendations included a request from the Group to add a second phase to the review to the Committee’s 2023/24 work programme.

The Group’s members on the Committee expressed their support for the report and recommendations, which they felt would achieve improvements to the Water Management Cycle. Reference was made to the positive, useful engagement that had taken place with external stakeholders and the cross-over between the review and the Council’s Biodiversity and Climate Change Action Plan.

During the discussion, the following points were raised; the importance of joint working with other partners as outlined within some of the group’s recommendations, the need to push developers to develop sites in a way that improved the water management cycle, the aspirations expressed by the Water Companies in relation to the proposed Garden Communities and the aims of the second-stage review proposed.

Thanks were expressed to those Members that attended the group’s meetings as substitutes or contributed to the review generally. The ambitious nature of the review was highlighted, with it noted that consideration should be given to the resources and time required to support these types of review. 

The Committee welcomed the Group’s draft report attached at Appendix 1 to the report.

RESOLVED: That

1.  The report of the working group, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be considered and agreed for submission to the relevant decision makers;

2.  Delegated authority be given to the Democratic Services Officer to amend the report following any changes to Lead Member Portfolios post May 2023, if required; and

3.  A second-phase review, to review the remaining considerations as outlined in point 2.3 of the report, be added to the Work Programme for 2023/24.