Agenda for Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) Board meeting on 14 June 2024
A meeting of the Board of Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) was held at 10am on Friday 14 June 2024 at the offices of Somerset Council (formerly South Somerset District Council’s headquarters) in Brympton Way, Yeovil, BA20 2HT.
Read a summary of decisions taken at the Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) Board meeting on 14 June 2024.
Read the minutes of the Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) Board meeting on 14 June 2024.
Below are lists of people who attended the meeting from across the SRA partnership, plus the meeting’s agenda and reports.
Members of SRA Board:
Cllr Mike Stanton – Chair (Somerset Council)
Tony Bradford – Vice-Chair (Parrett Internal Drainage Board)
Cllr Dixie Darch (Somerset Council)
Andrew Gilling (Axe Brue Internal Drainage Board)
Cllr Tony Grimes (Somerset Council – substitute)
Mark Heywood (Parrett Internal Drainage Board – substitute)
David Jenkins (Wessex Regional Flood & Coastal Committee)
Cllr Harry Munt (Somerset Council)
Claire Newill (Natural England)
Cllr Claire Sully (Somerset Council – substitute)
Trevor Whitcombe(Axe Brue Internal Drainage Board – substitute)
Ian Withers (Environment Agency)
In Attendance:
Dr Rachel Burden (Environment Agency)
Bel Deering (Somerset Rivers Authority)
Caroline Dunn (Somerset Rivers Authority)
Ross Edwards (Environment Agency)
Paul Elliston (Somerset Rivers Authority)
Donna Gowler (Natural England)
Sam Hitchcott (Somerset Council)
Jonathan Hudston (Somerset Rivers Authority)
Kirsty Larkins (Somerset Council)
David Mitchell (Somerset Rivers Authority)
Sean Papworth (Somerset Council)
John Rowlands (Somerset Rivers Authority)
Iain Sturdy (Somerset Drainage Boards Consortium)
Apologies for Absence
Cllr Mike Caswell (Somerset Council)
Cllr Simon Coles (Somerset Council)
Jeff Fear (Axe Brue Internal Drainage Board)
Rebecca Horsington (Parrett Internal Drainage Board)
Matt Wheeldon (Wessex Water)
Cllr Ros Wyke (Somerset Council)
AGENDA
1 Apologies for Absence
Purpose: Welcome and Clarification
Lead: Chair
2 Election of Chair and Vice-Chair
Purpose: Election
Lead: David Mitchell
3 Declarations of interest
Purpose: Transparency
Lead: Chair
4 Minutes of previous meeting held on 8 March 2024
Purpose: To agree accuracy
Lead: Chair
Document (downloadable PDF): Item 4 Draft Minutes of SRA Board Meeting on 8 March 2024
5 SRA news
Purpose: A verbal progress update on some recent SRA-funded activities
Lead: Jonathan Hudston, Bel Deering, Paul Elliston
Documents (downloadable PDFs):
ITEM 5a SRA Board Presentation SRA News 14 June 2024
ITEM 5b SRA Board Presentation by SRA Community Engagement Officers 14 June 2024
6 Public Question Time
Purpose: To give the public chance to ask questions
Lead: Chair
7 SRA finance reports
Purpose: To update the Board with Quarter 4 2023-24 Finance Report, and present an annual summary for 2023-24
Lead: Sam Hitchcott
Documents (downloadable PDFs): ITEM 7a SRA Board Paper 2023-24 Annual Finance Update 14 June 2024
ITEM 7b SRA Board Paper Finance Update – 2024-25 Budget Spending Profiles 14 June 2024
PLEASE NOTE: The main finance reports for Item 7 are not confidential, but additional detailed financial information will be made available only to SRA Board Members as an Appendix to Item 7a. 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).
8 Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) Monitoring and Inspections
Purpose: request for top-up funding
Lead: Sean Papworth
Documents (downloadable PDFs): ITEM 8 SRA Board Paper Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) Monitoring, Inspections & Mapping 14 June 2024
Item 8 SRA Board Paper Appendix A SuDS Project Funding Report 14 June 2024
9 SRA Potential Project Pipeline and 2025-26 Programme of works
Purpose: Progress update on the development of a pipeline of project ideas to support the SRA’s 2024-34 Strategy
Lead: David Mitchell
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 9 SRA Board Paper SRA Potential Project Pipeline and 2025-26 Programme 14 June 2024
10 Project updates
Purpose of papers 10a to 10c: To report on progress and make decisions where requested
10a Outcome of January 2024 Water Injection Dredging upper bank trial
Lead: Iain Sturdy
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 10a SRA Board Paper Water Injection Dredging with Enhanced Shoulder Works 14 June 2024
10b King’s Sedgemoor Drain bank raising and outfalls
Lead: Iain Sturdy
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 10b SRA Board Paper Sowy – KSD Phase 1 Project Completion Plan 14 June 2024
10c Brue modelling project next steps
Lead: John Rowlands
Document (downloadable PDF): Item 10c SRA Board Paper River Brue Modelling Project Next Steps 14 June 2024
11 Any Other Business (AOB)
Purpose: To raise urgent items
Lead: Chair
12 Papers to note
Purpose: To report on progress
12a Bridgwater Tidal Barrier
Document (downloadable PDF): Item 12a SRA Board Paper to Note Bridgwater Tidal Barrier 14 June 2024
12b Taunton Strategic Flood Alleviation Improvements Scheme
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 12b SRA Board Paper to Note Taunton Strategic Flood Alleviation Improvements Scheme (TSFAIS) 14 June 2024
For more information relating to the 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 14 June 2024
Next SRA Board meeting: 10am on Friday 20 September 2024 at the Somerset Council offices in King Square, Bridgwater (formerly the headquarters of Sedgemoor District Council).