Norfolk Rivers IDB Meeting 19 October 2017
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A MEETING OF THE NORFOLK RIVERS INTERNAL DRAINAGE BOARD WAS HELD IN THE ANGLIA ROOM, CONFERENCE SUITE, BRECKLAND DISTRICT COUNCIL, ELIZABETH HOUSE, WALPOLE LOKE, DEREHAM, NORFOLK ON THURSDAY 19 OCTOBER 2017 AT 10.00 AM. Elected Members Appointed Members * H C Birkbeck Breckland DC J Borthwick * S G Bambridge J Bracey W Borrett * J F Carrick * Mrs L Monument H G Cator * N W D Foster Broadland DC J P Labouchere * Mrs C H Bannock M R Little * P Carrick * T Mutimer * G Everett J F Oldfield Vacancy P D Papworth * M J Sayer King’s Lynn & WN BC S Shaw * Mrs E Watson R Wilbourn Vacancy North Norfolk DC Mrs A R Green * B Hannah S Hester P Moore N Pearce South Norfolk DC P Broome C Foulger * Dr N Legg * Present (42%) Mr J F Carrick in the Chair In attendance: Mr G Bloomfield (Catchment Engineer), Mr P George (Operations Engineer), Ms C Laburn (Technical and Environmental Officer), Mr M Philpot (Project Engineer) and Miss S Jeffrey (Finance Officer) 1 ID Norfolk Rivers IDB, Minute Action 60/17 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE 60/17/01 Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Messrs W Borrett, J Borthwick, J Bracey, P Broome, H G Cator, C Foulger, S Hester, J Labouchere, M R Little, P Moore, J F Oldfield, P D Papworth, N Pearce, S Shaw, R Wilbourn, Mrs A Green, Chief Executive Mr P Camamile and Mrs M Creasy. 60/17/02 In the absence of the Board Chairman, Mr P D Papworth, the meeting was chaired by Mr J F Carrick. RESOLVED that this be noted. 61/17 APPOINTED MEMBERSHIP CHANGES 61/17/01 Following the appointment by North Norfolk District Council of Mr B Hannah as one of its representatives on the Norfolk Rivers IDB, Mr Hannah was required to resign as an elected member, resulting in a vacancy for an elected member representing the Newton Flotman district. RESOLVED that this be noted. 62/17 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST 62/17/01 There were no declarations of interest other than those already recorded in the Members’ Register of Interests. 63/17 MINUTES OF THE LAST BOARD MEETING 63/17/01 The minutes of the last Board meeting held on 17 August 2017 were approved and signed as a true record. Arising therefrom: 63/17/02 EA Main River – Maintenance by PSCA (45/17/03) The Project Engineer reported that the IDB was due to commence maintenance works week commencing 23 October 2017 on the River Tun followed by works on the Blackwater, under the Public Sector Cooperation Agreement, (PSCA) with EA. RESOLVED that this be noted. 63/17/03 De-maining Proposals (46/17/02) The Project Engineer reported that the public consultation for the de- maining pilot project was currently ongoing with the consultation for the Dereham section taking place today between 2 pm – 7pm. The Chairman emphasised to appointed members the importance of their Local Authorities support of the IDB in taking on those sections of low priority main rive included in the de-maining pilot project, (including those falling outside the drainage district by way of a public sector cooperation agreement), and to show this support by responding favourably to the EA consultation. RESOLVED that this be noted. 2 ID Norfolk Rivers IDB, Minute Action 64/17 MINUTES OF THE LAST EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING 64/17/01 The minutes of the last Executive Committee meeting held on 17 August 2017 were considered in detail and approved. There were no matters arising. 65/17 OPERATIONS REPORT 65/17/01 The Operations Report was considered in detail and approved (a copy of which is filed in the Report Book). Arising therefrom: 65/17/02 Maintenance Construction Projects (1.2) Weedcutting on EA Main River As agreed at the last Board meeting, the Project Engineer had considered the costs of hiring or purchase of a Truxor weed boat taking into account where, or where not, it would be possible to use the boat other than in main river, (given that the majority of the IDB’s watercourses are too shallow to allow the boat access), and had concluded that it was not at the present time in the IDB’s best interest to purchase a Truxor boat. This conclusion was ratified by members. RESOLVED that this be noted. 65/17/03 Health and Safety (2) There were no accidents, incidents or near misses to record during this reporting period. 65/17/04 Plant (3) It was agreed in principle to consider the purchase of a replacement MP excavator at a net cost of c £60k at the next Board meeting subject to the Project Engineer’s review of requirement and detailed cost. RESOLVED that this be noted. 65/17/05 Water Level Management Plan – River Nar Restoration (4.1) The Operations Engineer reported that work was ongoing to finalise PG/MEC design for the Castle Acre Common scheme for consultation with stakeholders. As agreed at the last Board meeting the site of this scheme was due to be included on the next Board inspection which was proposed to follow the 24 May 2018 Board meeting. RESOLVED that this be noted. 66/17 PLANNING 66/17/01 The Planning Report, (included within the Operations Report and a copy on file in the Report Book), was considered in detail and 3 ID Norfolk Rivers IDB, Minute Action approved. Arising therefrom: 66/17/02 The Project Engineer reported that Board member Mr S Shaw had reported by email that he had spoken with the Head of Planning at North Norfolk District Council with regard to the IDB’s concerns raised at its 25 May 2017 meeting about the Planning Authority’s removal of grid referencing to identify the exact location of planning applications and he understood that subsequently, this would be reintroduced. It was understood also that North Norfolk DC Planning would be agreeable to include Norfolk Rivers IDB on its list of statutory consultees. RESOLVED that this be noted. 67/17 ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT 67/17/01 The Environmental Report was considered in detail and approved (a copy of which is filed in the Report Book). There were no matters arising. 68/17 FINANCIAL REPORT 68/17/01 The Financial Report for the period 1 April 2017 to 30 June 2017 was considered in detail and approved (a copy of which is filed in the Report Book). There were no matters arising. 69/17 SCHEDULE OF PAID ACCOUNTS 69/17/01 The Schedule of Paid Accounts for the period 1 July 2017 to 30 September 2017, totalling £118,922.82, (a copy of which is filed in the Report Book), was considered in detail and approved. There were no matters arising. 70/17 MATERIAL CHANGES TO RISK REGISTER 70/17/01 Members considered the risk register for those risks with a risk assessment matrix score of ≥ 6. Arising therefrom: 70/17/02 Members considered there were no material changes to be made during this reporting period. RESOLVED that this be noted. 70/17/03 There was a general discussion about the importance of IDB involvement in the planning consent process and promoting the IDB as the preferred option to adopt and manage SUDs in new developments, in line with its SUDs adoption and charging policy: https://www.wlma.org.uk/uploads/WMA_(Eastern)_SUDS_Adoption_ Policy.pdf 71/17 AUDITED ANNUAL RETURN FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING 31 4 ID Norfolk Rivers IDB, Minute Action MARCH 2017 71/17/01 The audited Annual Return for the financial year ending 31 March 2017, (a copy of which is filed in the Report Book) was considered in detail and approved. Arising therefrom: 71/17/02 The clean audit opinion awarded by Mazars LLP was noted. 71/17/03 Members were advised that the external auditor PK F Littlejohn had been appointed by the SAAA, (Smaller Authorities Audit Appointments), to undertake the external audits of all IDB Accountability and Governance Annual Returns for a five year period commencing with the 2017/18 financial year. RESOLVED that this be noted. 72/17 CORRESPONDENCE 72/17/01 There was no correspondence requiring the Board’s consideration during this reporting period. 73/17 MEETINGS 2018 73/17/01 The calendar of meetings for 2018 was considered and approved as set out below: 25 January 2018 24 May 2018 16 August 2018 18 October 2018 All meetings to start at 10.00 am in the Conference Suite at Breckland District Council, Elizabeth House, Walpole Loke, Dereham NR19 1EE. 73/17/02 The next Board meeting would therefore take place on Thursday, 25 January 2018. 74/17 ANY OTHER BUSINESS 74/17/01 There was no other business to discuss. 75/17 OPEN FORUM: TO HEAR FROM ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, WITH LEAVE OF THE CHAIRMAN 75/17/01 There were no Members of the Public present at today’s meeting. 76/17 CONSORTIUM MATTERS 5 ID Norfolk Rivers IDB, Minute Action 76/17/01 The unconfirmed minutes of the last Consortium Management Committee meeting held on 29 September 2017 were considered in detail and approved. There were no matters arising. 76/17/02 Schedule of Paid Accounts The WMA Schedule of Paid Accounts for the period 1 April 2017 to 31 August 2017 totalling £508,052.14 as approved at the Consortium Management Committee meeting on 29 September 2017, was considered in detail and adopted. There were no matters arising. 76/17/03 Financial Report The WMA Financial Report for the period 1 April 2016 to 31 August 2017, as approved at the Consortium Management Committee meeting on 29 September 2017 was considered in detail and adopted by the Board.