Agenda for Somerset Rivers Authority Board meeting on 22 July 2022
A meeting of the Board of Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) was held at 10am on Friday 22 July 2022, at the headquarters of South Somerset District Council, Brympton Way, Yeovil, BA20 2HT.
Read a summary of decisions taken at the SRA Board meeting held on 22 July 2022 in Yeovil.
Read the minutes of the SRA Board meeting held on 22 July 2022.
Below are lists of people who attended from across the SRA partnership, plus the meeting’s agenda and reports.
Members of SRA Board:
Emma Baker (Environment Agency)
Tony Bradford – Vice-Chair (Parrett Internal Drainage Board)
Cllr Dixie Darch (Somerset West and Taunton Council)
Cllr Sarah Dyke (South Somerset District Council)
Jeff Fear (Axe Brue Internal Drainage Board)
Cllr Andrew Gilling (Axe Brue Internal Drainage Board)
David Jenkins (Wessex Regional Flood & Coastal Committee)
Cllr Matt Martin (Mendip District Council)
Pat Lehain (Natural England – substitute)
Cllr Mike Stanton – Chair (Somerset County Council)
In Attendance:
Dave Coles (Sedgemoor District Council)
Michele Cusack (Somerset County Council)
Gary Cutts (Environment Agency)
Ross Edwards (Environment Agency)
Jonathan Hudston (Somerset Rivers Authority)
David Mitchell (Somerset Rivers Authority)
Kate Murdoch (Somerset West and Taunton Council)
Peter Paddon (South Somerset District Council)
John Rowlands (Somerset Rivers Authority)
Iain Sturdy (Somerset Drainage Boards Consortium)
Ian Tier (Somerset County Council)
Apologies:
Doug Bamsey (Sedgemoor District Council)
Dr Rachel Burden (Environment Agency)
Cllr Mike Caswell (Sedgemoor District Council)
Donna Gowler (Natural England – substitute)
Rebecca Horsington (Parrett Internal Drainage Board)
Cllr Garfield Kennedy (Mendip District Council – substitute)
Cllr Duncan McGinty (Sedgemoor District Council – substitute)
Claire Newill (Natural England)
Colin Passmore (Parrett Internal Drainage Board – substitute)
Jonathan Stevens (Somerset West and Taunton Council)
Haylee Wilkins (Mendip District Council)
AGENDA
1 Election of Chair
Purpose: Election of Chair
Lead: David Mitchell
2 Apologies for Absence
Purpose: Clarification
Lead: Chair
3 Declarations of interest
Purpose: Transparency
Lead: Chair
4 Minutes of previous meeting held on 4 March 2022
Purpose: To agree accuracy
Lead: Chair
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 4 Draft Minutes of SRA Board meeting 4 March 2022
5 Public Question Time
Purpose: To give the public chance to ask questions
Lead: Chair
6 Somerset Rivers Authority Joint Scrutiny Panel
Purpose: To update the Board about the Panel’s latest meeting on 8 July
Lead: David Mitchell
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 6 SRA Board Paper SRA Joint Scrutiny Panel Update 22 July 2022
7 Excessive phosphates on the Somerset Levels and Moors
Purpose: Presentation
Lead: Kate Murdoch, Somerset West and Taunton Council
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 7 SRA Board Presentation Excessive Phosphates on the Somerset Levels and Moors 22 July 2022
8 SRA finance report
Purpose: To update the Board
Lead: Ian Tier
Documents (downloadable PDF): ITEM 8a SRA Board Paper Quarter 4 2021-22 Finance Report and Annual Summary 22 July 2022
ITEM 8b SRA Board Paper 2022-23 Budget Spending Profile 22 July 2022
PLEASE NOTE: The main finance report for Item 8 is not confidential, but additional detailed financial information has been made available only to SRA Board Members as Appendices to Item 8. The additional detailed financial information contains exempt information and is therefore marked Confidential – Not for Publication. At any point if Members wish to discuss the detailed financial information within these papers then the Board will be asked to agree the following resolution to exclude the press and public:
Exclusion of the Press and Public
To consider passing a resolution under Regulation 4 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 to exclude the press and public from the meeting on the basis that if they were present during the business to be transacted there would be a likelihood of disclosure of exempt information, within the meaning of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.
Reason: Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).
9 SRA Annual Report 2021-22
Purpose: To review the report and approve it for publication
Lead: Jonathan Hudston
Documents (downloadable PDFs): ITEM 9a SRA Board Paper about the DRAFT SRA Annual Report 2021-22 22 July 2022
ITEM 9b SRA Board DRAFT SRA Annual Report 2021-22 22 July 2022
10 Funding request
Purpose: To request extra funding for projects in Rode and Beckington
Leads: Haylee Wilkins, David Mitchell
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 10 SRA Board Paper Rode and Beckington Funding Request 22 July 2022
Key Project Updates
11 River Sowy – King’s Sedgemoor Drain (KSD) Enhancements Scheme
Purpose: To update the Board
Lead: Emma Baker, Gary Cutts
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 11 SRA Board Paper River Sowy-Kings Sedgemoor Drain Enhancements Scheme 22 July 2022
12 SRA Enhanced Programme 2023-24
Purpose: To consider opening the grant application process to more organisations for 2023-24
Lead: David Mitchell
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 12 SRA Board Paper SRA Enhanced Programme 2023-24 22 July 2022
13 Flood Action Plan review
Purpose: To verbally update the Board on progress
Lead: David Mitchell
14 Any Other Business (AOB)
Purpose: To raise urgent items
Lead: Chair
15 Papers to Note
Purpose: Updates for information
Lead: Chair
15a Bridgwater Tidal Barrier
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 15a SRA Board Paper to note Bridgwater Tidal Barrier 22 July 2022
15b Taunton Strategic Flood Alleviation Improvements Scheme
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 15b SRA Board Paper to note Taunton Strategic Flood Alleviation Improvements Scheme 22 July 2022
15c Strategic Approach to Mitigation
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 15c SRA Board Paper to note Strategic Approach to Mitigation 22 July 2022
15d River Brue schemes
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 15d SRA Board Paper to note River Brue Schemes 22 July 2022
For more information relating to the meeting, such as public attendance and access, please see below:
Document (downloadable PDF): SRA Board Meeting Agenda and Public Guidance notes 22 July 2022
Next SRA Board meeting: 10am on Friday 16 September 2022. The venue is to be confirmed.