HCW/13/42 Cabinet 9 October 2013 Report on the Impact of the Storm
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HCW/13/42 Cabinet 9 October 2013 Report on the impact of the Storm Events of 2012 on Highway Infrastructure Legacy and plans for recovery Report of Head of Highways, Capital Development and Waste Please note that the following recommendations are subject to consideration and determination by the Cabinet (and confirmation under the provisions of the Council's Constitution) before taking effect. Recommendation: It is recommended that Cabinet: (a) notes the extent of damage to the Highway Network following the storm events of 2012; (b) agrees the proposals for prioritisation of legacy works based on a set of criteria currently adopted for highway asset management as described in this report; (c) agrees that where as a result of a prioritisation exercise, recommendations are made to either abandon sections of highway or individual highway structures, full consultation is undertaken with the Cabinet Member for Highway Management and Flood Prevention, and relevant local member whose Division is affected by the proposal; (d) notes the expenditure of £12.2M in 2012/13 and the legacy of storm damage estimate of £5.5 million which it is proposed is addressed over a four year period. 1. Summary This report is to update Cabinet on the impact of storm events on the Highway Network over the last 12 months. Reactive and safety works in the immediate aftermath of each storm event cost the authority a total of £12.2M in the 2012/13 financial year. There remains a significant legacy of damage to infrastructure which is estimates to cost £5.5M to repair. The increase in this cost over that previously advised has been due to the on-going damage to slopes and retaining walls that has occurred as a result of saturated ground conditions. This report sets out the details of the legacy work. It proposes a method for prioritising the repair and for informing options for: Replacement with like for like infrastructure, Replacement with low cost alternatives, Not replacing damaged infrastructure. The report sets out options for funding of legacy works, including funding sources and repair programme durations. 2. Background Severe flooding events were experienced across Devon during much of 2012. Heavy monthly rainfall totals in April, June, July, and August were nearly 50% higher than the UK average and much higher than previous year averages. These rainfall levels resulted in saturated ground conditions and swollen river levels by the autumn. The first major flood event affected Devon in July, with subsequent less severe but significant events in August, September and October. Rainfall levels in November and December were also considerably higher than previous years and the UK average, with monthly averages of 183mm and 257mm respectively. The nature of the rainfall however was intense with up to 85mm in a 24 hour period being recorded during November and December. This combined with the already saturated ground resulted in severe flooding, particularly during the periods of 21 to 25 November and 19 to 24 December. During the flood events many roads were closed, including parts of the principal road network. The resultant damage was extensive, and in places catastrophic. However with the saturated ground conditions many land slips have occurred some time after the initial flood events. A total of £12.2 million was spent during the financial year 2012/13, in the immediate aftermath of the storms on the following activities: clearing up debris on roads; Cleaning drains; Patching roads; Repairing roads and embankments slips; Repairing bridges/culverts. Funding for these works has been provided as shown in Table 1: £M Total Spend 2012/13 12.2 Budget Provision 2012/13 (1.0) ** Emergency Reserve 2012/13 (3.6) *** Bellwin Claim (3.1) Overspend for 2012/13 4.5 Table 1: Funding of Safety and Recovery Works in 2012/13 Note: ** All Emergency Reserves set aside to deal with these types of events by the County Council have now been spent. *** the Bellwin claim has been settled at £3.023m (only £50,000 less than claimed). The unfunded balance of £4.5 million has been covered from underspends from across the Place group of services budgets. An allowance has been included to carry forward a small amount (£1.35m) to cover storm legacy work. A breakdown of the expenditure per storm is to be found at Appendix A. 3. Legacy Work Despite the amount of work undertaken both during and immediately following these events, there remains a significant legacy of repair and reinstatement work estimated at £6.0 million at about 500 sites around the County. This includes the collapse of two Grade 2 Listed bridges (Waterstave and Collard), severe damage to another (Alma), retaining wall failures, land slips, and damage to both highway drainage and road surfacing. These are summarised in Table 2 below: Capital Works Bridges £1,035,600 Capital Works Major Land slips (>1.5m) £1,963,123 Capital Works Minor Land slips (<1.5m) £61,775 Revenue Works Highway Drainage £648,320 Revenue Works Surface Hand Patch £865,891 Revenue/Capital Works Surface Machine Patch/Resurfacing £376,798 Revenue Works Odds & Ends £62,850 Revenue Works Public Rights of Way (PROW) £517,500 Total Legacy £5,531,857 Table 2: Summary of Storm Damage Legacy Works 4. Works Proposed in 2013/14 Some of the identified legacy work is being incorporated into both 2013/14 capital and revenue works programmes as identified in Table 3 below: Bridges £110,600 Major Land slips (>1.5m) £1,545,123 Minor Land slips (<1.5m) £20,000 Drainage £322,926 Hand Patch £0 Machine Patch/Resurfacing £0 Odds & Ends £0 PROW £50,392 Total for 13/14 £2,049,041 Table 3: Funding of legacy work already included in 2013/14 Programmes Set against the total legacy works cost of £5.5M, the shortfall is about £3.5M for future financial years. A list of the schemes delivered, or programmed to be delivered in 2013/14 are attached at Appendix B. 5. Prioritising Legacy Works A programme to deliver the outstanding legacy works will reflect the prioritisation of individual schemes and the availability of funding. To prioritise the works the principles of the Highway Asset Management Plan need to be adopted to ensure objective information is used in decision making. An assessment model has been developed to identify priorities based on a set of standard criteria similar to those already used to prioritise both highway and bridge maintenance and repair works. The criteria has taken account of: Impact on Highway Network: o Traffic volumes; o Road category; o Length of diversion route; o alternative access to communities etc. Repair Costs: o Direct works costs; o Indirect costs of delaying repairs or reinstatement. E.g. temporary traffic management costs; o Costs of future deterioration if work delayed or not carried out. Funding: o Identification of funding sources; o Impact on future capital and revenue budgets. As a result of the prioritisation process consideration may have to be given to down grade or abandon roads or structures asset. In these situations it is recommended that proposals would be the subject of consultation with the Cabinet Member Highway Management and Flood Prevention, and local members prior to referral tothe relevant HATOC. A list of the priorities following this prioritisation exercise is attached at Appendix C. It is acknowledged though that there may be some significant local issues which would effect the priority in which individual schemes are delivered This has meant that priority is being given in 14/15 to the delivery of the replacement bridges at Waterstave and Collards, and the completion of some of the more major landslips. The drainage schemes are listed separately at Appendix D and will be prioritised by the usual drainage prioritisation table (Appendix E). This may result in some of the schemes not being delivered during the proposed timescale, as the priority is not high enough. Schemes on Public Rights of Way and the unclassified roads are also listed separately and have been prioritised slightly differently, but along similar principals and will be dealt with as resources permit. However consideration may have to be given either to downgrade or abandon some of the network and this again would be subject to the consultation stated above. Table 2 reflects the legacy works remaining after an initial prioritisation process has been gone through. 6. Options for Funding of £3.5M shortfall Further Central Government Funding Following each of the flood events of 2012 applications were made to claim funding from central government under the Bellwin arrangements. The amount claimed was £3.1 Million and we have received £3.023m. Bellwin is the only formal avenue to approach government to seek funding following significant storm events. Legacy works would not attract Bellwin funding as the rule for this only allow costs for the immediate response and safety works. Lobbying of DfT, DCLG and the Devon MPs also took place requesting assistance for the legacy works associated with the storms of 2012. Now the full extent of the storm legacy issues are clearer, it is advised that the lobbying exercise is repeated to raise awareness of the quantum of the damage and the funding demand it is placing on the authority. The LGA have recently lobbied Government for additional funding for Highway Maintenance, but it is not possible at this time to assess the likelihood of this being successful and, in the current economic climate it seems unlikely that further funding will be made available. Funding from DCC Capital Programme There may be potential to reallocate funding from within the existing DCC Capital Programme. This will be considered as the funding of the programme is reviewed following the recent successful external funding bids and as project funding is updated to reflect project pressures and savings.