Agenda for Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) Board meeting on 20 September 2024
A meeting of the Board of Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) was held at 10am on Friday 20 September 2024 at the offices of Somerset Council (formerly Sedgemoor District Council’s headquarters) in King Square, Bridgwater, TA6 3AR.
Read a summary of decisions taken at the SRA Board meeting on 20 September 2024.
Read the minutes of the SRA Board meeting held on 20 September 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)
Cllr Mike Caswell (Somerset Council)
Cllr Dixie Darch (Somerset Council)
Dr Rachel Gavey (Wessex Regional Flood & Coastal Committee)
Andrew Gilling (Axe Brue Internal Drainage Board)
Mark Heywood (Parrett Internal Drainage Board – substitute)
Cllr Harry Munt (Somerset Council)
Matt Wheeldon (Wessex Water)
Trevor Whitcombe (Axe Brue Internal Drainage Board – substitute)
Cllr Ros Wyke (Somerset Council)
In Attendance:
Mhari Baldwin (Environment Agency)
Caroline Dunn (Somerset Rivers Authority)
Ross Edwards (Environment Agency)
Amanda Gallacher (Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group SouthWest)
Piers Hooper (Environment Agency)
Sam Hitchcott (Somerset Council)
Jonathan Hudston (Somerset Rivers Authority)
Kirsty Larkins (Somerset Council)
David Mitchell (Somerset Rivers Authority)
Neil Ogilvie (Somerset Council)
Sean Papworth (Somerset Council)
John Rowlands (Somerset Rivers Authority)
Iain Sturdy (Somerset Drainage Boards Consortium)
Apologies:
Tony Bradford – Vice Chair (Parrett Internal Drainage Board)
Dr Rachel Burden (Environment Agency – substitute)
Cllr Simon Coles (Somerset Council)
Jeff Fear (Axe Brue Internal Drainage Board)
Rebecca Horsington (Parrett Internal Drainage Board)
Claire Newill (Natural England)
Colin Passmore (Parrett Internal Drainage Board – substitute)
Ian Withers (Environment Agency)
AGENDA
1 Apologies for Absence
Purpose: Welcome and Clarification
Lead: Chair
2 Declarations of interest
Purpose: Transparency
Lead: Chair
3 Minutes of previous meeting held on 14 June 2024
Purpose: To agree accuracy
Lead: Chair
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 3 Draft Minutes of SRA Board Meeting on 14 June 2024
4 Public Question Time
Purpose: To give the public chance to ask questions
Lead: Chair
Document (downloadable PDF): Public Questions for the SRA Board 20 September 2024
5 SRA Annual Report
Purpose: To review and approve the 2023-24 Annual Report
Lead: Jonathan Hudston
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 5 SRA Board Paper for Somerset Rivers Authority Annual Report 2023-24 20 September 2024
ITEM 5 Appendix 1 SRA Board Paper DRAFT SRA Annual Report 2023-24 20 September 2024
6 SRA Finance and Monitoring Report
Purpose: a) To review and approve Quarter 1 2024-25 Finance report
b) To review performance monitoring information
Leads: a) Sam Hitchcott/Caroline Dunn
b) Caroline Dunn
Documents (downloadable PDFs): ITEM 6a SRA Board Paper Quarter 1 2024-25 Finance Report 20 September 2024
ITEM 6b SRA Board Paper Q1 2024-25 Performance Monitoring Report 20 September 2024
PLEASE NOTE: The main finance reports for Item 6 are not confidential, but additional detailed financial information will be made available only to SRA Board Members as an Appendix to Item 6a. 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).
7 Internal Drainage Board Updates
Purpose: a) To report the outcome of January 2024 upper banks Water Injection Drainage trial and consider approval to repeat in 2025, b) To provide a progress update on the assessment of works to complete the King’s Sedgemoor Drain bank raising and outfalls.
Lead: Iain Sturdy
Document (downloadable PDFs): ITEM 7a SRA Board Paper Upper Banks WID Trial 20 September 2024
ITEM 7b SRA Board Paper KSD Bank Raising and Outfalls 20 September 2024
8 Environmental Land Management (ELMs) Presentation
Purpose: To present ELMs opportunities and how they interact with flood risk management.
Leads: Claire Newill and Mhari Baldwin
9 Natural Flood Management Community Advisors
Purpose: Top-up funding request to extend project duration
Lead: Amanda Gallacher
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 9 SRA Board Paper NFM Community Advisor 20 September 2024
10 2025-26 Programme update
Purpose: a) 2025-26 Enhanced Programme refresh and new small grants scheme, b) Pipeline of ideas
Lead: David Mitchell
Documents (downloadable PDFs): ITEM 10a SRA Board Paper 2025-26 Enhanced Programme and Community Flood Action Fund 20 September 2024
ITEM 10b SRA Board Paper Pipeline of Ideas Update 20 September 2024
11 River Brue Modelling Opportunities
Purpose: To provide and update from the project team on modelling scenario and possible actions
Lead: Neil Ogilvie
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 11 SRA Board Paper River Brue Modelling 20 September 2024
12 Any Other Business
Purpose: To raise urgent items
Lead: Chair
13 Paper to note
Bridgwater Tidal Barrier
Purpose: To report on progress
Document (downloadable PDF): ITEM 13 SRA Board Paper to Note Bridgwater Tidal Barrier 20 September 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 20 September 2024
Next SRA Board meeting: 9:30am on Friday 24 January 2025 at the Somerset Council offices in Cannards Grave Road, Shepton Mallet (formerly the headquarters of Mendip District Council.)