Agenda item

To receive an update on drainage matters from Mr Steve Rivers on behalf of Katie Lewis, KCC’s Drainage Manager.

Mr Rivers introduced flood investigation and drainage update reports, the latter having been prepared by KCC’s Drainage Manager in response to questions submitted by Members.  Referring to the drainage report, it was clarified that dual carriageways with a speed limit above 50mph were classified as high-speed roads.  Roads regarded as strategic and locally important were non-dual carriageways.   Changes were planned to the way the drainage cleaning service was delivered to address public concerns that it was not sufficiently reactive.   However, a reactive service was more costly and it would be necessary to provide it in a structured way to keep costs down.

Councillor Eddy welcomed the reports, particularly the information on Albert Road, Deal.  However, he commented that more information was needed so that it was clear when drains were due to be cleaned in order that residents could advise cleansing teams of any specific problems.    It would also be helpful to have more precise information on hotspots, such as whether the whole road or only part of it was considered problematic and why.   He requested that Church Lane, Walmer be added to the list.  Mr Rivers reported that it was intended to provide more information by publishing quarterly work programmes on the KCC website.  

Councillor J A Cronk noted that flooding problems at Albert Road, Deal had been triggered by an electrical fault at Southern Water’s Golf Road pumping station.  The existing capacity of the drainage network in the district was a real concern, and it was inevitable that the situation would get worse with new housing developments coming forward.  He called for KCC to establish a select committee to consider the adequacy of the county’s sewerage and drainage network and to make recommendations on what improvements should be made to accommodate new housing developments.   Several Members raised concerns about Albert Road and queried why there was no back-up system at the pumping station. 

Councillor Bond stated that Western Road, Park Avenue and the A258 leading into Walmer were flooding hotspots which should have been included in the report.   Given the long-running arguments between Southern Water, KCC and the Environment Agency around responsibility, it was time for KCC to take the lead and accept responsibility for resolving longstanding flooding issues in the district.  

In respect of Albert Road, the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets advised Members that DDC had been trying since May to bring together various bodies with responsibility for maintaining sewers and drains, including Southern Water and the Internal Drainage Board.   He understood that Southern Water had not yet completed its review of what had gone wrong at the pumping station, but mentioned an e-mail he had received from them stating that they were liaising with KCC colleagues in order to take a collaborative approach to the problem.

Councillor Eddy advised that there was a KCC Flood Risk Management Committee which involved the Environment Agency, Southern Water and various drainage boards.   However, a full understanding was needed of where KCC’s drains fitted in with those entities and how it could improve the drains for which it was responsible. 

RESOLVED:   (a)        That it be recommended to Kent County Council that it forms a

Select Committee to consider county-wide sewerage and drainage problems, particularly in relation to new developments and their impact on the existing network.

                        (b)        That the reports be noted.

(Councillor S C Manion assumed the chairmanship of the meeting before the vote was taken.)