Agenda item

Anna Hastings, Blue Heart Project Manager and Nick Claxton, Flood Risk Management Team Leader, presented an update on the work of the Blue Heart Project. The following points were highlighted:

·       As the lead local flood authority, East Sussex County Council has an interest in the management of surface and ground water flooding and management of flooding from ordinary water courses. ESCC was not directly involved in the management of sewage flooding resulting from the overflow of the ‘foul network’, as this was the responsibility of water companies. Coastal protection was the responsibility of borough and district councils with the Environment Agency monitoring coastal erosion.

·       The Blue Heart Project had secured £4.4 million of funding from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) as part of the Flood and Coastal Resilience Programme. The ethos of the programme was around innovative approaches and concepts with evidence gathering and the ability to test new methodology.

·       The three themes looked at by the programme covered:

o   Improving the understanding of the water catchment

o   Engaging with communities and stakeholders

o   Creating a dynamic risk management system

·       A key, early project, which dealt with removing surface water from Southern Water’s network and had been successful was the Sustainable Urban Development System (SuDS) in Schools project. The project secured funding for 7 schools in Eastbourne, with a bid for funding for a total of 35 schools over a three-year period. A mixture of techniques was being used to reduce the amount of surface water going into Sothern Water’s system and improve water quality.

·       The Blue Heart Project aimed to have a platform in place to forecast events that could result in significant flooding and provide mitigation. Trial sites had been installed with sensors in water courses and boreholes. A contract was being awarded for a further 52 sensors, which would significantly improve the data available.

During discussion, the following points were highlighted:

·       The Blue Project approach to stakeholder engagement involved cross-sharing of information. The approach was more community based and not reliant on traditional consultancy-based engagement.

·       The data and modelling used by the Project was being shared with the planning teams at both Eastbourne Borough and Wealden District Councils. The Project was not involved with the special planning, however, ESCC as the lead flood authority was a statutory consultee on planning matters and was kept up to date with the work of the Blue Heart Project.

·       The Blue Heart Project was a partnership that included decision making authorities with responsibility for water. The mandate for the project was to deliver change. The evidence gathered in the current stages of the project would help inform the second and future stages of the project. Southern Water was contributing to the Project and the SuDS already mentioned were preventing surface water entering the combined sewer system – it was suggested that Southern Water be invited to discuss its work the Committee.

·       ESCC as the lead local flood authority, did comment on most planning applications. Recommendations would look to ensure that development did not create flood-risk, either at the development site or elsewhere. It was in the interest of developers to retain water in permeable areas as far as possible onsite, and SuDS was a component of this. The imminent integrated surface water and Fluvial model would contribute to the Local Plan process.

·       Concern was expressed by Members that the level of investment into the project should be producing more focused results with a greater impact. Members were also concerned at the lack of investment by Southern Water in existing infrastructure, and the increased pressure resulting from development. Additionally, Members questioned the operations of the Environment Agency and the lack of direct deliverables or real solutions following the provision of funding. Members strongly suggested that a scheme which looked at the separation of rainwater from sewage and the separation of the combined system must be a key deliverable. Members agreed that Southern Water should be invited to a future meeting of the Committee to explain what work it was undertaking to upgrade infrastructure, particularly in Eastbourne.

·       The Blue Heart Project was innovation based and limited by the terms of the funding provided by Defra, which involved starting with case studies, and providing evidence and new knowledge to look for additional schemes that could become part of the Project. The Project was looking at the partnership as a vehicle to seek further funding. 

·       The integrated model being progressed by the Project would provide a baseline that could then be used to measure rainfall run-off. The SuDS in School was part of this work – approximate volume calculations would be provided.

Resolved to note the update from the Blue Heart Project and request that:

1)    The Blue Heart Project provide an update in the future on its progress; and

2)    Southern Water be invited to a future meeting of the Committee to discuss ongoing issues with combined sewer overflows and their impact on water quality in Eastbourne and the coastal areas.