Meeting held on Thursday 14th July 2011 10am British Red Cross , Abergele Minutes PC Russell Jones - North Wales Police Operational Planning (RJ) PC Dave Abernethy Clark – North Wales Police Operational Planning (DAC) Insp Dyfan Jones - North Wales Police (DJ) Cllr Geoff Corry – Elected Member Chair (GC) Lynne Hughes – CCBC Civil Contingencies Officer (Minutes) (LH) Jonathan Williams – CCBC Civil Contingencies Manager (JW) Anne Bowen Jones – CCBC Social Services (ABJ) Huw Williams – CCBC Regulatory Services (HW) Cllr W Knightly – Elected Member (WK) Cllr S Anderson – Elected Member (SA) Cllr John Bevan – Elected Member (JB) Cllr Meirion Hughes – Elected Member (MH) Cllr Ken Stone - Towyn & Kinmel Bay Town Council (KS) Richard Evans – CCBC Environment Group (RE) Dyfed Rowlands – CCBC Environmental Strategy Manager (DR) Sara Pearson – EA Wales (SP) Sherron Kitchen – EA Wales (SK) Rachel Cooper – EA Wales (RC) Katie Davies – EA Wales (KD) Alan Thomas – CCBC Highways (AT) Bishop Stephen Lowe – Diocese of St Asaph – Priest in charge Towyn / Kinmel Bay Lindsey Mercer – CCBC Planning Officer (LM) Peter Worswick – Towyn and Kinmel Bay Town Council (PW) Apologies Tania Donn – Communities First Co-ordinator Kinmel Bay (TD) Stephen Shakespeare – Environment Agency Wales (SS) Cllr Dave Holland – Elected Member (DH) Craig Davies - Environment Agency Wales (CD) Gwyn Parry – Minister (GP) Rhiannon Hayes – CCBC Regulatory Services (RH) Andrew Jarman – Network Rail (AJ) Gwyn Lloyd Roberts – Environment Agency Wales (GLR) 1. Welcome & Apologies The chair welcomed all to the meeting and apologies were received. 2. Declaration of Any Other Business There was no declaration of any other business. 3. Minutes & Matters arising The minutes were agreed as a correct record of the meeting. Proposer: Cllr WK Seconder: Cllr SA Matters arising; Cllr SA reported that he had not pushed ahead with the futures scenario day, and needs to discuss this with Cllr Ronnie Hughes. It was noted that there is a meeting scheduled for the 28th July whereby this could be discussed. 4. Flood Risk Management Update SK reported that she will be taking over from Gwyn Lloyd Roberts on this group who is retiring at the end of August. It was also reported that River Gele project Phase 2 is currently at the design stage but the team hope to be on site starting construction by the end of July 2011. The Tidal Clwyd Flood Risk Management Strategy is now completed and went before the agency's large project review group in May and after a few clarifications is waiting to be signed off by two directors Chris Mills and David Jordan. The final strategy will then be available in the autumn. 5. Morfa Rhuddlan Flood Response Plan JW reported that the main work is to do with the evacuation. Input is required from the police on how to deal with evacuation. (Refer to next item). 6. Flood Modelling Initiative DR circulated a paper to all and explained that this has come about following Cllr SA ideas of working with Richard Dawson, utilising the new approach called agent based modelling. This is based on human behaviour, age, social background etc. In Conwy much work has been done in the Towyn and Kinmel bay area, looking at different storm events, overtopping, and climate change flood risk. It would be good to combine both studies and combine the work. The lead project officer has been working with Dr R Dawson to see how to link these two events together and come up with something. Since the 1990 event things have moved on, and the group are now developing a flood evacuation plan. Sayers and partners are proposing splitting the work into 6 areas. Task 1 has been undertaken, where there are “safe areas”, short term evacuation areas and then moving into the long term, looking at improving lead times, and having better information for flood wardens. Task 2 would be to host an “expert workshop” as there is a vast amount of information in-house and this should be utilised. Issues such as road closures, traffic movement etc would be discussed. The findings of this workshop would then be shared with Sayers and Newcastle, who can then look at the various scenarios of what could occur during a flood event. The idea is to combine these studies, and to have a plan b approach. Task 4 is to look at the options, scenarios, events etc, and response plan and also look at how we can work together to improve response to events. DR needs to consider task 5 with other stakeholders , such as nursing homes, caravan parks, etc using all the information to be able to devise an emergency plan. It was noted that an exercise would be needed to test the various scenarios. JW and DR have met with the EA who were supportive of this proposal. It was also reported that Conwy County Borough Council is the first local authority to do this kind of work. Welsh Government (WG) has asked DR to submit a funding request and will try and fund this initiative from their revenue account. DR asked if the group members are supportive, then he would then proceed with the report. Cllr GC asked the group for a show of hands in relation to seeking support for this initiative. All within the group support this initiative. Proposer: Cllr SA Seconder: PW Action: DR to proceed Cllr JB raised a concern in relation to Gors Road, and how pressure needs to be applied to the Welsh Office about this. It was reported by the councillors that a new highway is needed there, as even now the road is under water during the winter, and this is the main evacuation route. Cllr SA thanked DR and JW who have adopted a partnership approach. The issue of Gors Road should be looked at during the future scenarios day and then report to the government that lives are at threat. 7. Community Resilience Rachel Cooper from Flood Awareness Wales presented to the group the work that Flood Awareness Wales have been doing in the area. Katie Davies (KD) explained that she has taken over from Phil Jones. Cllr SA reported that it is good that this work in continuing, and how it needs to integrate with other work being done. It was noted that we need to give credit to EAW for keeping going with this. Bishop Stephen Lowe reported that the churches would be happy to work with the EAW to identify wardens. 8. Travellers Cllr GC explained that there are some concerns in relation to travellers settling within a flood risk area, and is it placing them at risk. JW explained that there is a process within the local authority for dealing with travellers. Cllr WK explained that the travellers do not come to an area when there may be anticipated problems. 9. Any Other Business LH reported that she was currently working with the county’s web team to create a web site for this partnership. Insp Dyfan Jones introduced himself and PC Russ Jones who will now be group members. 10. Date(s) & Venue of next Meeting Thursday 20th October - British Red Cross Centre, Abergele 10am – 12 noon Meeting concluded at 11:30am END .