To receive an update from the Environment Agency.

Members noted the following main points from the Environment Agency (EA) update:

·         A recent discharge from Slough Sewage Treatment Works had been investigated. It was an abnormal process discharge and there appeared to be no reasons behind it. The impact from it was not however high and there was no effect on the quality of water in the receiving watercourses. This incident was still be investigated.

·         The temporary defences and deployment plans have been reviewed and further modelling work has been undertaken. The results were as follows:

o   Windsor/Old Windsor/Clewer – There had been improvement / reduction in the modelled risk, hence temporary defences were no longer required.

o   Wraysbury – modelling indicated some detriment, and revised alignment being considered.

o   Datchet – The modelling  had indicated that the  previous alignment, of the barrier was likely to be  outflanked and needed to be extended further.

·         Brianne Vally informed the Group that the Environment Agency would be meeting with all Parishes in the next few weeks to look at and investigate further.

·         The Datchet Parish Councillors explained that there were two types of flooding in Datchet, from the river and ground water which came up from the recharge of the gravels and that different solutions were required at different locations.

·         Parish Councillor for Wraysbury, Margaret Lenton informed the Group that recent temporary works undertaken on a weir on the Colne Brook, near Colne Way had made flooding worst in recent weeks and that the river was now too high to remove these works. An investigation was required and  solutions.

ACTION: The EA to investigate issues in the area between Ferry Lane and Colne Way  and report back as soon as possible.

·         The consultation for the strategic review of the Environment Agency’s charges had now completed. Councillor Beer requested that the results of the consultation be publicised and sent to the Members of this Group.

ACTION: The EA to send results of the consultation to the Group.

·         David Bedlington had taken over the role as project lead on the River Thames Scheme. Full funding for this scheme was still to be secured and there was some discussion regarding the current funding position.

·         Community engagement had been scaled back, only the newsletter and the website were now used. Any concerns could be addressed to Brianne Vally.

·         The Datchet Parish Councillor highlighted that there had been rumours that the scheme had been cancelled as there was no funding going forward.

·         The Parish Councils requested a clear unambiguous statement from the Environment Agency on the funding of the River Thames Scheme.

ACTION: The Chairman to discuss the current funding position of the River Thames Scheme with the Leader of the Council.

·         Councillor Beer raised concerns regarding flows in the River Thames originating from further upstream stating that the Council had no influence over these flows and should not be expected to contribute towards the costs of the River Thames scheme, suggesting that the scheme should be fully funded by the government

·         Brianne Vally advised that a teleconference had taken place between representatives  of Cookham Parish Council, the EA, the EA’s hydraulic modeller and the Borough, regarding modelling undertaken to assess possible benefits of replacing / upsizing a number of culverts on Sutton Road. The modelling undertaken indicated limited benefits from this proposal and the EA did not intend to undertake any further investigations relating to this. The Borough / Parish may however wish to undertake their own investigations. 

·         A workshop was planned for 23 April to discuss environmental enhancements, resilience and flood risk on ‘Cookham waterways’ and Brianne Vally would report back to the Group.

·         Datchet Parish Council requested a fuller map indicating areas at risk of flooding and where flood water flowed  to assist in making predictions and issue pre warnings if required. Currently this information was not available.

·         Datchet Parish Council highlighted that the LiDAR maps were not accurate, new updated maps were needed from the Environment Agency. Datchet parish council have  up-to-date and reliable information of the extents of recent River Thames flood events that could be shared with the Environmental Agency.

ACTION: The Environment Agency to give an update at the next Group meeting on LiDAR / updated flood mapping.

·         The Group Members asked if a working group would be useful. This was to be checked by the Environment Agency and reported back at the next meeting.

·         Simon Lavin reported that  LiDAR was generally used in modelling. He understood however that LiDAR may have been  used in generating the  2014 flood envelope and suggested that aerial photography should be available and would be more accuracy.

·         Flooding in the vicinity of Church Road Old Windsor during the 2014 River Thames flood event was discussed. This flooding was the result of groundwater flowing below the Battle Bourne bund. Simon Lavin suggested that the solution was to pump water back over the bund in a similar manner to that used as part of the Maidenhead Windsor and Eton Flood Alleviation scheme in Cookham. Parish Councillor Margaret Lenton was concerned that this would affect the villages lower down.

·         Datchet Parish Council suggested  that currently the Bourne Ditch reservoir, at Spitial Field was not used. There was a stream already present but it was embanked, could this be used? Simon Lavin pointed out that this scheme, originally built by the Borough, was designed to prevent flooding from the Bourne Ditch. The structure has since been passed to the Environment Agency. It is a reservoir  under the Reservoir Act and any adjustments to its operation would need to be agreed with the panel engineer.