Meeting held on Monday 23rd June 2014 10am British Red Cross Offices, Abergele

Minutes

Darren Millar AM – Assembly Member (DM AM) - Chair Catherine Evans – CCBC Civil Contingencies Support Officer (CE) - Minutes Gwyn Parry – Minister (GP) Barry Griffiths – Chief Flood Warden (BG) Rhiannon Hayes – CCBC Regulatory Services (RH) Russ Jones – North Wales Police (RJ) Cllr Nigel Smith – CCBC Elected Member (Cllr NS) Cllr Ken Stone - & Kinmel Bay Town Council (Cllr KS) Cllr S Anderson – CCBC Elected Member (Cllr SA) Jonathan Williams – NWC Regional Emergency Planning Service (JW) Jacqueline Richmond - Towyn & Kinmel Bay Town Council (Cllr JR) Dyfed Rowlands – CCBC Environment, Road & Facilities (DR) Libby Evans – CCBC Communities First (LE) Huw Webb – Natural Resources Wales (HW) Dan Bown – Natural Resources Wales (DB) Craig Davies – Natural Resources Wales (CD) Russell Jones – Dwr Cymru / Welsh Water (RJs)

Apologies

Cllr Geoff Corry – Towyn & Kinmel Bay Town Council (Cllr GC) - Chair Geraint Edwards CCBC Head of Environment, Road & Facilities (GE) Glyn Jones – Cartrefi Conwy (GJ) Cllr Mike Priestley – CCBC Elected Member (Cllr MP) David Hallows – British Red Cross (DH) Lynne Hughes – CCBC Civil Contingencies Officer (LH) Sherron Kitchen – Natural Resources Wales (SK) Eirian Redmayne – Natural Resources Wales (ER) Cllr Bill Darwin – CCBC Elected Member (Cllr BD) Allan Sharp – CCBC Business and Enterprise (ASp) Paul Cobbing – National Flood Forum (PC) Andy Smith – Asda Representative (AS) Shane Wetton - Community Development (Coastal), Community Development Service (SW)

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1. Welcome & Apologies

The chair welcomed all to the meeting and apologies were received and noted.

2. Minutes of Previous Meeting & Matters Arising

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as a true record.

Proposer: Cllr SA

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Seconder: Cllr KS

3. Flood Planning

Sandy Cove

JW informed the group that a meeting had recently taken place to discuss flood planning arrangements for the area between JW, DR and BG. It had been agreed to develop a specific flood plan for Sandy Cove and arrangements for response.

It had been agreed to look at storage areas for sandbags with a procedure being put in place with agreement being sought by the local Flood Wardens. It was suggested that discussions should be held with local businesses to ask whether they are aware of any options available. The group also discussed the need for training the community on the use of sandbags.

A working group to include JW, Cllr GC, BG, DR, Cllr SA, Cllr KS and HW to meet and produce draft procedures by September 2014. Items to be included on the agenda include Sandbag Strategy, Website, School Flood Plans Update and Safe Refuges.

Action: JW to set up a meeting for the working group in the next couple of weeks.

Action: DR to discuss storage options with GP.

Green Avenue

Cllr NS expressed his concerns in relation to the entrance to Green Avenue. He asked whether it would be possible to close the access under the Railway permanently and utilise the emergency access / egress route through Park Avenue at all times.

JW explained that in the short term, residents should be encouraged to produce their own personal plans with details in relation to evacuating their properties.

Cllr SA mentioned that work is being carried out on the Bridge which incorporates changes to St Asaph Avenue although there is a £20,000 shortfall for these works.

Action: DM AM to raise this with .

Action: Representative from the BETS Dept of Welsh Government to be invited to the next group meeting.

Businesses and Caravan Parks

See item 6.

Schools Planning

BG informed the group that both he and Cllr JR are governors at Ysgol Maes Owen. BG expressed his concerns in relation to the current flood plan for the school which he feels is not fit for purpose. The flood plan for Ysgol Maes Owen was originally

2 produced by the CCBC Civil Contingencies Unit with the Ysgol y Foryd plan being produced by GP in conjunction with Natural Resources Wales. The Ysgol Maes Owen plan had now been put into the Natural Resources Wales template who explained that both plans are adequate for the arrangements that are currently in place.

Action: School Flood Plans to be updated following the working group carrying out their work with the Governing Body / Parents being informed of any major changes.

Safe Refuge

The group discussed whether the option of safe refuges should be pursued for the area. It was agreed that this would form part of the working group’s agenda.

Action: Working Group to discuss options in relation to safe refuges.

Action: Community Planning arrangements to bear in mind flood risk issues – group to write a letter to CCBC asking this.

Website

BG explained that although his website was up and running, it was important to include additional information on it such as sector plans, warden information. DM AM requested that the website fit in with the overall planning and that this be looked at by the working group. The group also suggested setting up a link from the Towyn and Kinmel Bay Town Council Webpage to the Flooding Webpage for the area.

Action: Consistency between websites to be looked at by the Working Group – whole communications.

Action: Look at alternative means of updating the website as well as BG.

Evacuation Planning

RJ informed the group that North Wales Police were in the process of developing a system to assist with evacuation incorporating a traffic light system which can then be fed back into the control room and added into the mapping programme. Natural Resources Wales are looking at having an exercise in St Asaph during October 2014 to test this system.

RJ added that forward command posts have also been identified to ensure early communications between responding agencies with an agreement that the forward command posts will also be activated earlier. There are issues in relation to Caravan Parks and signing in/out is being looked into although there may be a possibility of using the door marking system at these sites as well as multi occupancy buildings. BG requested that the caravan park plans and community plans be added to the website recently produced although some concerns were raised in relation to data protection.

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4. Emergency Costal Repairs Update

DR explained to the group that Beach Nourishment had now been added to the Sandy Cove area with it now being up to design standard. There was also unused money which could possibly be utilised in the Kinmel Bay area but the CCBC ERF dept were still waiting to hear whether this had been approved. Additional work was needed around Asda and outline plans and access have been looked at if the gaps in the sea wall were to be filled in. Ramps for up and over access have been designed although discussions are currently being held as to whether the ramps are safe for cyclists. Once the plans are agreed, local members will be consulted on the final model which should be within the next 3-4 weeks. In relation to the storm gate, various options had been looked into and it had been decided to strengthen the current gate and design a ramp to go over the gate for access.

Action: DR to report back on progress at the next meeting.

Cllr NS mentioned that the work carried out on the beach was excellent although the site needed clearing up. DR explained that if Welsh Government don’t allow the unused money to be used in the area then a contractor will be sent to clear up the site, other wise it will be cleared once the work has been completed.

5. Improvements to the Flood Warning Service

DB provided the group with a brief presentation in relation to the improvements to the flood warning service. The main improvement was that the flood warning areas had been amended to reflect what had happened during the December 2013 flooding. Area A has now been amended to incorporate some Area B properties which were also flooded and they would receive the warnings as well as Area A if a similar event was forecast.

Work will now be carried out in promoting the improvements and they will go live at the end of October 2014. Residents will be informed of the change to the flood warning areas also (Area A and B).

Action: Changes in the amount of people signed up to the Flood Warning Service to be added as a standard item on the agenda for future meetings.

The group suggested possibly using the Council Tax Letters to send out some information to residents. DM AM mentioned that he would discuss this with Ken Finch.

Action: DM AM to discuss utilising Council Tax Letters to send out information to residents on the Flood Warning Service with Ken Finch.

HW added that there will be additional Flood Warden Training towards the end of the year although it was yet to be decided whether this would be for new flood wardens only or whether it will also include existing flood wardens.

Action: Natural Resources Wales to confirm the dates for the Flood Awareness Event and Flood Warden Training.

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6. Flood Plans and Flood Wardens Update

HW demonstrated the percentage of completed caravan park flood plans which were as follows –

Kinmel Bay – 71% completed Towyn – 83% completed Blegrano – 100% completed Pensarn – 50% completed

He added that there were some issues in relation to adding the caravan park flood plans to the website although one way to overcome this would be to contact each caravan park and ask their permission. The actions within the plans are for the caravan park owners and not for the caravan residents.

Action: Caravan Park enforcement to be invited to the next meeting.

Action: Natural Resources Wales to make enquiries regarding permanent residents on caravan sites receiving the flood warnings on their mobile phones.

Action: Natural Resources Wales to discuss access to the flood warning service with all Caravan Site owners.

7. North Wales Coastal Survey Update

DB explained to the group that the last coastal survey was carried out 14 years ago and therefore a business case had been put together for funding to carry out a survey which would hopefully begin Autumn 2014. The survey will be a 6-12 month piece of work.

Action: North Wales Coastal Survey to be added as a standard item on the agenda for future meetings.

8. NRW’s Maintenance Programme Update

CD provided a copy of the maintenance schedule carried out by Natural Resources Wales which he proceeded to discuss with the group. Some issues were raised in relation to being unable to carry out some maintenance due to members of the public not having used dog bins etc and using areas which aren’t public rights of way.

Action: CD to discuss with Towyn and Kinmel Bay Town Council regarding raising awareness with members of the public regarding use of dog bins.

Action: Cllr SA to discuss the ditch between Ffynon y Ddol and River Gele with CD.

9. Regional Emergency Planning Service Update

JW informed the group that a Business Case to set up the Regional Emergency Planning Service was approved by the Chief Executives in February 2014 and the service would be live on the 1st July 2014. Although the Service will be a North Wales Service, it will be based in two regional offices, one in the East (County Hall, Mold)

5 and one in the West (Bodlondeb Lodge, Conwy). The Manager and Deputy Manager have been in place since 1st April 2014 with most of the Officers starting their new roles from the 1st July 2014. Within the new service structure it is thought that the Emergency Planning representation on the group will change. Officers in attendance future meetings will be the Conwy Liaison Officer (Eleri Salisbury), Regional Officer responsible for Community Resilience (Pauline Adshead), the Deputy Regional Manager (Jonathan Williams) and Support Officer.

Cllr SA mentioned that it was important for the Regional Officer responsible for Community Resilience to link in with Communities First.

10. Any Other Business

There were no declarations of any other business.

11. Next Meeting

TBC, British Red Cross Offices, Abergele

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