Members of the Flood Group agreed to the following amendments to the Terms of Reference:

Moving forward, the Flood Group would be known as the Borough Flood Liaison Group.

DRAFT TERMS OF REFERENCE

1.             PURPOSE OF THE FLOOD GROUP

The main purpose of the group is to seek to reduce the impact of flooding on the borough’s residents and to promote the implementation of permanent and sustainable solutions to mitigate or alleviate flooding with regard to the objectives of the Pitt Review and the Flood and Water Management Act.

The group will also seek to improve communication between the Flood Risk Management Authorities and representatives from flood affected communications.

2.             OBJECTIVES

The Flood Group will work to:

o   Develop the Strategic Flood Risk Management Plan for the Borough.

o   Ensure that partners’ (The Borough, the Environment Agency and Thames Water), own organisations are aware of and can respond to flood related issues.

o   Ensure that the Council’s interests are represented at regional and national level in respect of flood policy development and funding.

o   Work with the key agencies’ to enhance their working relationships with the Council and each other.

o   Review procedures for flood prevention, response and recovery.

o   Establish what arrangements there are for involving and consulting local communities in determining flood prevention plans and in flood response and recovery arrangements.

o   Arrange periodic and appropriate training or information exchange for relevant personnel, including partners’ own workforces, emergency services, volunteers and other stakeholders on the operational aspects of flood risk management

o   Make recommendations for appropriate action by the Council via the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Panel and partner agencies.

3.             MEMBERSHIP

o   The group will be chaired by a Borough Councillor, who is either the Borough’s representative on the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (where this role is undertaken by a Borough Councillor) or by the appropriate Lead Member with responsibly for flood risk management.

o   Up to 7 Borough Councillors from flood affected wards (with not more than one representative from each ward)

o   Up to 7 Parish Council representatives, who should be the Chair or Vice Chair of their Parish Council, from the Parish Council Flood Liaison Group

o   Appropriate officer representation from Thames Water

o   Appropriate officer representation from the Environment Agency

o   Appropriate officer representation from the Royal Borough’s Flood Risk Management Team

The group may co-opt representatives to sit on the group as appropriate.

4.             OPERATION

o   The group will meet 4 times per year in January, April, July and October.

o   Agendas and minutes of the group’s meetings will be posted on the Borough website

o   The Parish Flood Liaison Group Chair or Vice Chair will notify the Borough’s Flood Risk Management Team of items to be included on the agenda of the next Borough Flood Liaison Group meeting. At least 2 weeks’ notice will be given of such items to allow inclusion on the published agenda.

o   Member representatives will determine for themselves how they wish to report back to their own organisations and communities on the work of the group.

o   No actions or decisions of the group can be used to fetter the statutory duties or obligations of its member organisations.

o   Members of the public are permitted to speak providing they have registered to speak with Democratic Services at least two working days prior to the meeting taking place.

o   Three minutes of speaking time is allocated to speakers.

o   The Borough Flood Liaison Group will have no executive authority but can make representations as considered necessary.