To receive the above verbal update.

(Parish Councillor Malcolm Beer entered the meeting at 18:34)

Brianne Vally, Environment Agency (EA), gave an update on the Thames Catchment Area. She explained that the Catchment Area received about 53% of average rainfall for January. While this was a lot less than the rainfall in November and December 2022, the rainfall in January 2023 nevertheless caused the catchment to be saturated as well as River Thames levels to be high in most locations. Most of the weirs along the Thames were drawn but not all were fully drawn yet. The Jubilee River’s radial gates were not being operated at the moment, but EA were continuing to monitor the situation carefully.

As of the day of the meeting, Brianne Vally informed that there were no flood warnings in RBWM, and none were expected imminently. There were no flood alerts along the Thames River area between Cookham and Wraysbury, but there were some flood alerts along the Thames River between Shepperton and Molesey. EA resources were being scaled up and were ready to escalate further if the situation changed, such as doubling staff on the rosters. Brianne Vally encouraged residents to report any concerns via the incident hotline.

Regarding the weather forecast in the next few days, Brianne Vally reported more rain was expected in the next few days, which meant river current high flows may continue to rise. Groundwater levels had also risen at 14 of the indicator sites across the River Thames Catchment Area and therefore EA were monitoring the situation carefully in Bray. In spite of this, there were no groundwater alerts in force at the moment in RBWM. She recommended that updates on local area water situations could be found online.

Brianne Vally then moved onto providing generic updates relating to an overview of flood risk planning. The Flood Risk Management plan was published in December 2022, which included details of measures identified nationally at significant risk of flooding. This plan could be accessed on gov.uk website by searching ‘Thames River Basin flood risk management plan’.

Brianne Vally then explained that the EA had changed its terminology: EA were no longer going to refer to ‘area benefiting from defences’ and instead they would refer to ‘areas having a reduction in flood risk from rivers and sea due to the presence of defences’. She then explained that the flood risk mapping portal (used for planning purposed or strategic flood risk assessments) was no longer met customer needs or provided a false sense of security for users, and therefore would no longer be available online. Instead, EA would provide areas having a reduction in risk of flooding due to the presence of defences on its product 4 (Detailed Flood Risk Assessment Map) where the information could be accessed and could be used to help planning applications.

Brianne Vally then presented an update Datchet to Hythe End Flood Improvement Measures. Regarding the project lifecycle, she explained that the EA were in the initial assessment phase and were preparing to submit the Strategic Outline Case (SOC).

Brianne Vally then explained the key activities of the programme:

·       EA continued to work with its framework consultants (Jacobs) to develop the Strategic Outline Case, which would outline investigating viable alternative options to reduce flood risk from Datchet to Hythe End.

·       EA were preparing to review Jacobs work to date and finalise the Strategic Outline Case.

·       EA were preparing for the Outline Business Case by starting to draft the scope of work and develop the timeline for OBC stage.

·       EA were working out logistics for itself and RBWM to visit the 4 relevant parish councils prior to pre-election period.

·       Since the last meeting we have created a webpage on Battlebourne embankment on.gov.uk to raise awareness of the reduction in flood risk.

Regarding the timetable for the programme, Brianne Vally informed that there had been a slight change whereby the development of the SOC was to end in January 2023 rather than December 2022. Despite this, the SOC sign-off was still intended to be March 2023. In addition, the Outline Business Case stage would start in April 2023, assuming that the SOC was signed-off and procurement arrangements are in place.

Brianne Vally then continued onto explaining updates on recent maintenance works. These included works around the A4 Bath road wall (an integral component of the Maidenhead, Windsor and Eton flood alleviation scheme) being completed in November 2022, though additional unrelated work was taking place relating to the removal of a tree stump.

Brianne Vally then informed that work continued on North Maidenhead Bund whereby some hydraulic modelling of the 2019 Lower Thames model was being utilised to conduct a local assessment of the bund and its function before planning any further action.

Some repairs, Brianne Vally explained, took place on the flood walls repairs in Cookham, primarily consisting of repairing defects in the mortar joints and mortar joint seals. The work was expected to be completed by early 2023.

On the gantry work near the Jubilee River in the Taplow area, Brianne Vally informed that the works had been completed with the only outstanding action being the transfer of assets back to the EA area team. Brianne Vally emphasised that this was not impacting the operation of the Jubilee River should it be required.

To conclude, Brianne Vally then gave a brief update on industrial action. She informed that some EA employees had and would continue to strike in a dispute over of pay. Some contingency measures included the automation of the flood warning service being instated. She also stated that severe flood warnings were not automated and therefore were going to continue to be issued by EA staff. Brianne Vally explained that the automation of the service meant that flood warnings could be issued overnight and users could notice an increase in flood warnings as these were being sent automatically as opposed to being sense checked by a employee initially.

Regarding the Datchet to Hythe End Flood Improvement Measures, Councillor Larcombe asked if partnership funding was still relevant in that scheme; and if so, what would stop RBWM from “going around the same loop again” in comparison to the River Thames Scheme Channel One. Brianne Vally replied that the partnership funding was relevant. She also explained that partnership funding did not only encompass Grant-in-Aid funding, but also sometimes broadened to include other partners that may benefit from works surrounding a flood alleviation schemes. Brianne Vally did not exclude the possibility that there may also be a gap in funding alternative options.

Natasha Gibbs, Hertfordshire North London EA, gave some updates on local issues. She explained that the Lower Colne modelling would include areas in which the Colne River interacted with the River Thames in the Windsor and Maidenhead area. She explained the models for each catchment which give EA an overview of the flood risks and the defences put in place. She also explained that current version of the Lower Colne Brook’s modelling was from 2012; and it was revealed that there were some inconsistencies with some of the flood risk information after the 2013-14 floods. In addition, there were some uncertainties over the third runway at Heathrow airport (further up the catchment). As such, Natasha Gibbs explained, EA were updating the modelling for the Lower Colne which was expected to be completed by the end of calendar year (2023).

Natasha Gibbs hoped that this new modelling would give an overview about the Colne Brook’s interaction with the Thames River. She added that the River Thames Scheme modelling would be added so that EA had some sensitivity analysis and therefore create more interpretive modelling around the Colne Brook. In addition, the new modelling would provide some interpretation on key EA assets responding to flood risks.

Regarding maintenance, Natasha Gibbs informed that there was an online mapping which illustrated EA’s assets and maintenance regime, allowing residents to understand what was going on in their area. She shared a link of the online map for the Colne Brook.

Natasha Gibbs then informed that there was maintenance surrounding aquatic vegetation, flora on the riverbed floor, to ensure there was conveyance flowing through. This was evaluated every financial year.

Other updates on maintenance works included dredging taking place at Stanwell Road as well as more maintenance works being expected in the Colne Brook area near the reservoir, including tree maintenance around April 2023. These works required analysing the area for health and safety as well as ensuring permitted access from landowners. Natasha Gibbs suggested that she could provide a further update on the tree maintenance works in the Colne Brook area.

ACTION: Natasha Gibbs to provide further update on the tree maintenance works in the Colne Brook area.

The Chairman asked if Natasha Gibbs was the point of contact for the parishes and RBWM Council in relation to this category. Natasha Gibbs confirmed this, explaining that from a flood risk perspective, she was the Council’s partnership strategic overview link.