Agenda for Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) Board meeting on 20 March 2026
A meeting of the Board of Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) was held at 9.45am on Friday 20 March 2026 at the offices of Somerset Council (formerly South Somerset District Council’s headquarters), in Brympton Way, Yeovil, BA20 2HT.
Below are lists of people who attended the meeting from across the SRA partnership, followed by the meeting’s agenda and reports.
Read a summary of decisions taken at the Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) Board meeting on 20 March 2026.
Members of SRA Board:
Cllr Mike Stanton – Chair (Somerset Council)
Tony Bradford – Vice-Chair (Parrett Internal Drainage Board)
Cllr Steve Ashton (Somerset Council)
Anthony Betty (Parrett Internal Drainage Board)
Cllr Mike Caswell (Somerset Council)
Ian Collins (Wessex Regional Flood & Coastal Committee)
Claire Newill (Natural England)
Cllr Nick O’Donnell (Somerset Council)
Cllr Claire Sully (Somerset Council)
Wendy Welland (Axe Brue Internal Drainage Board)
Cllr Ros Wyke (Somerset Council)
In attendance:
Dr Bel Deering (Somerset Rivers Authority)
Jennie Channing (Somerset Rivers Authority)
James Divall (Somerset Council)
Caroline Dunn (Somerset Rivers Authority)
Ross Edwards (Environment Agency)
Paul Elliston (SRA)
Sam Hitchcott (Somerset Council)
Piers Hooper (Environment Agency)
Jonathan Hudston (Somerset Rivers Authority)
David Mitchell (Somerset Rivers Authority)
Iain Sturdy (Somerset Drainage Boards Consortium)
Apologies:
Vicky Farwig (Wessex Water – substitute)
Andrew Gilling (Axe Brue Internal Drainage Board)
Neil Ogilvie (Somerset Council)
Matt Wheeldon (Wessex Water)
Ian Withers (Environment Agency)
AGENDA
1 Introductions and apologies for absence
Purpose: Welcome and clarification
Lead: Chair
2 Declarations of interest
Purpose: Transparency
Lead: Chair
3 Minutes of previous meeting held on 5 December 2025 and Matters Arising
Purpose: To agree accuracy, and discuss any matters arising from the last meeting
Lead: Chair
Documents (downloadable PDFs): ITEM 3a Draft Somerset Rivers Authority Board Meeting Minutes 5 December
ITEM 3b SRA Board Paper Matters Arising 5 December 2025
4 2026-27 SRA Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Constitution
Purpose: To agree and sign the 2026-27 SRA Memorandum of Understanding and Constitution
Lead: Chair
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 4 SRA Board Paper March 2026-27 SRA Memorandum of Understanding and Constitution For Signing 20 March 2026
5 Chair’s update
Purpose: To update on any matters of relevance to the SRA Board since its last meeting
Lead: Chair
6 January Major Flooding Incident
Purpose: Update on impacts and response to Major Incident from SRA partners
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 6 SRA Board presentation January Major Flooding Incident 20 March 2026
7 Public Question Time
Purpose: To give the public chance to ask questions
Lead: Chair
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 7 SRA Board Public Questions and Answers 20 March 2026
8 Finance report and Enhanced Programme performance monitoring
Purpose: To update the Board
a) Quarter 3 2025-26 Finance Report
b) Quarter 3 2025-26 Enhanced Programme performance monitoring
Leads: Sam Hitchcott, Caroline Dunn
Documents (downloadable PDFs): ITEM 8a SRA Board Paper Quarter 3 2025-26 Finance Report 20 March 2026
ITEM 8a Appendix One Q3 2025-26 Finance Report 20 March 2026
ITEM 8b SRA Board Paper Quarter 3 2025-26 Performance Monitoring Report 20 March 2026
9 SRA 2026-27 Enhanced Programme and Budget
Purpose: To review and approve the SRA 2026-27 Enhanced Programme and Budget
Lead: David Mitchell
Documents (downloadable PDFs): ITEM 9 SRA Board paper 2026-27 Enhanced Programme and Budget 20 March 2026
ITEM 9 Appendix 1 2026-27 SRA Enhanced Programme Project summaries 20 March 2026
10 Flood Group Networks
Purpose: To update the Board on final project outputs
Lead: Dr Bel Deering
11 River Sowy – King’s Sedgemoor Drain (KSD) Enhancements Scheme completion report
Purpose: Completion report
Lead: David Mitchell
12 Any Other Business (AOB)
Purpose: Please notify the Chair of AOB in advance of the meeting
Lead: Chair
Board meeting information
For more information relating to this Friday 20 March SRA Board meeting, such as public attendance and access, please see the Public Guidance notes below:
Document (downloadable PDF): SRA Board Meeting Agenda and Public Guidance notes 20 March 2026
Next SRA Board meeting: 5 June 2026, 9.45am, venue to be confirmed.