Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) Board decisions 20 January 2023
A summary of what happened at the Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) Board meeting on 20 January 2023. Not every item on the agenda is covered. Only items that required decisions to be taken are featured below.
Item 3: Minutes of the meeting on 16 September 2022
It was agreed that the minutes of the SRA Board Meeting held on 16 September 2022 should be signed as accurate.
Item 5: SRA Strategy and Action Plan
SRA Vice-Chair Tony Bradford proposed – seconded by Rebecca Horsington – that the completion date for the SRA Strategy and Action Plan should be extended to December 2023.
As recommended, the SRA Board approved an extension to the project completion date from June 2023 to December 2023.
Item 6: SRA Finance Report
6a: Quarter Two 2022-23 Finance Update
As recommended, the SRA Board noted the financial performance as at the end of Quarter Two of 2022-23.
The Board approved the re-allocation of funding to contingency as per Part Two of the report.
6b: A38 Blackbird Bends funding request
As recommended, the SRA Board approved £20,000 of funding to commission WSP to undertake investigation of the impacts of the weir on Haywards Water downstream from the A38 at Blackbird Bends.
Item 7: 2023-24 SRA Enhanced Programme and draft budget
As recommended, the SRA Board provisionally approved the proposed 2023-24 SRA Enhanced Programme and budget subject to final approval after precept funding is confirmed in February 2023 by Somerset County Council.
Item 9: Key Project updates – River Sowy-King’s Sedgemoor Drain Enhancements Scheme (Phase 1)
As recommended, the SRA Board approved an additional £499,000 of funding to the River Sowy-King’s Sedgemoor Drain Enhancements Scheme (Phase 1).
The Board also noted that there are outstanding works to complete Phase 1 of the project and additional funding will be required if these works are to be completed.
Item 11: Local Government Reorganisation
As recommended, the SRA Board reviewed and commented upon the draft proposal for the make-up of the SRA Board following the dissolution of Somerset County Council and the four district councils (Mendip, Sedgemoor, Somerset West and Taunton and South Somerset) and the creation of one Somerset Council.
The SRA Board agreed to invite Wessex Water to join the SRA Board.