General Website update of flood measures
November 2015
An update meeting was held on 2nd November between Tewkesbury Borough Council (TBC) : David Steels (DS), Jason Westmoreland (JW) and Tirley Parish Council (TPC) : Anne Turner (AT), Tim Adey (TA), Alma O’Boyle (AO).
Riparian ownership of drainage ditches
As TBC has access to Land Registry data, it has been possible to establish ownership of ditches. For the purposes of the current project TBC is prepared to clear all the ditches involved, but in the future, riparian ownership will revert. TPC can call on TBC to clarify ownership if, in the future, there are difficulties in maintaining the effectiveness of the ditches.
TPC requested a copy of the data re ditches. JW is to investigate and make it available if possible.
DS will send a letter, after the project has been completed, from both TBC and TPC to residents reminding them of riparian ownership obligations based on a letter already drafted by TA for TPC. TA to forward draft to DS. Letters (100) will be delivered by hand (AO to organise).
Vehicle movement – to bring in material for construction of bund (see October attenuation update) Starting 5 Nov for about 2 weeks. There was a joint concern to alert locals to trailer work.
DS to draft letter and contact local businesses/schools that use the route.
TA AO to affected residents.AO will put info on website and noticeboards.
Ownership / Maintenance / Liability issues
The bund (and other engineered measures) have been accepted by TBC Property Services and they will undertake an annual inspection.
The Cross – the ditches are the responsibility of Highways and IDB include them in their maintenance programme. Concerns raised at the last TPC meeting about control of flow had already been addressed there. JW confirmed that water can still spill into the former channel and is not blocked.
Outfall– ditch belongs to Riverside Inn and owner has given permission for access. IDB has offered to maintain the watercourse leading to the outfall which has been taken on by TPC.
Laurence King (TPC) has inspected the outfall. JW reported that some alterations, not critical, were needed re hanging of flap valves (which have now been installed), and sandbags at top of structure needed to be replaced/fixed.
Upstream – Only Charles Warner’s Land is involved. Access no longer required across other landowner’s land.
Fund Management
JW provided a breakdown. So far everything was coming in under budget.
Landowner correspondence
JW has sent a letter to the landowner on whose land the bund is to be built.
Communications/ Public Update Meeting
This has not happened but residents have had opportunities to keep up to date by attending TPC meetings.
JW indicated that there had been changes to the plans for the measures to be used to slow down water in the ditches. Hard measures were now to be put in place, by Feb/March 2016, instead of more natural measures.
TPC asked JW to summarise changes to plans, and reasons for those changes, re nature of measures to slow down water in the ditches. Summary to be included in TBC update which will be put on Tirley website and reported on at next TPC meeting on 17/11
DS to send update in w/b 9/11
Other Matters
DS gave an update of further funding to build on success of Repair and Renew grant initiative. TBC was working with EA to support those not yet covered by funding. First stage would be to undertake surveys of relevant properties with a view to securing funding to implement future support. DS will provide further info and TPC will include updates at TPC meetings.
TA requested opportunities to take ‘before and after’ pictures of flood works, for the record. TBC agreed.
The concern to provide a clear record for future TPCs was acknowledged and to this end JW proposed a debrief meeting at the end of the project when all relevant material could be handed over and the work signed off.
Date of next meeting: Monday 7 December at 6.30pm.