Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Cowling and Gardiner and Leah Humphries, Yorkshire Water.

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 June 2017 were agreed as a correct record.

Emily Mellalieu provided the Group with the following update to be included in the minutes;

·         NYCC has continued to work towards the outline business case and the CCTV survey of the Old Malton network has been undertaken, funded in partnership with RDC

·         Results will be analysed within the next couple of weeks. The findings may be presented to the next meeting of the group

·         Work is on-going between NYCC and Highways England to progress a scheme for Old Malton, incorporating ecological and heritage aspects

·         Continue to work with RDC and potential funders in securing shortfall required for Malton, Norton and Old Malton scheme

·         Rye project to be commissioned in early November. Four locations in the Rye have been identified, site visits taken place this week (w/c 9 October 2017), potentially looking at Kirkbymoorside, Sinnington, Hovingham (latter two both complimentary measures for NFM project) and one other location to be confirmed. Project to be managed by Steph Bracegirdle, Project Engineer usually covering western side of county, to allow P Tweed to manage Malton, Norton and Old Malton

·         Continue to support work of Derwent Catchment NFM projects

Matt Cross provided the following update to be included in the minutes;

The partnership was not currently doing any work in the Ryedale area, although some of the individual partners may be.

A project was in its development stage, ‘Derwent Villages NFM’, which is looking at implementing NFM measures around Gilling East, Hovingham, Sinnington and Thornton le Dale.

Ian Cooke provided the following update:

·         The last grass cut of the year has been completed on flood defences

·         Winter tree works are due to commence, initially from Rye Mouth to Newsham Bridge

·         Trees have been removed/cut back at Nunnington

·         Maintenance works are due on the Lower Derwent

·         More work will be undertaken at the sea cut

·         The EA has bought a floating platform to assist with maintenance works from the waterways, which will be stored at Pickering

It was clarified that no trees would be removed from the Derwent, unless they increased the risk of flooding. The clearance of trees is usually the responsibility of the landowner and the EA would not contact the landowner unless it was felt that the fallen trees presented an increased risk. The removal of trees may increase the flow lower down the Derwent.

It was agreed that the EA would bring a presentation to the next meeting showing the data collected from various sources and the subsequent modelling undertaken. This would hopefully include the results of the Vale of Pickering modelling and the results of the CCTV survey at Old Malton.

Leah Humphries provided the following update to be included in the minutes;

Work to complete the Malton Undertrack Crossing was successful over the weekend of 7 - 8 October 2017.

The crossing was now in place underneath the railway, to allow for the partnership pumping operations in times of flooding. Some aesthetic works were still due to be completed by Network Rail.

Yorkshire Water’s Emergency Planning Team and Flood Risk Team had been working to agree sign off for the procedures for the 10 inch pumps and this would be available within the next week or so. Once agreed and signed off by the agencies, an exercise date would be planned to trial the new procedures.

Phil Fisher gave the following update from the IDB:

·         Weeding has been completed between Ganton and Yedingham

·         Works to the head wall at Butterwick has been completed

·         2^nd phase of the Yedingham restoration project was in hand

·         Reeds have been cleared on the Riccal from the Rye to Muscoates and this has greatly improved drainage

·         The IDB is working on the Lady Spring Woods improvement project to improve the cut. Natural England has raised concerns regarding where silt from the cut may go and raised concerns regarding the replacement materials proposed for the boardwalk and negotiations on this were ongoing. The CCTV survey at Old Malton will help the IDB to identify what may be contributing to any silt build up

·         The works on the upper section of Costa Beck to the trout farm were almost finished

·         Repair to the erosion of the Holbeck at Gilling was in hand

Chris Bowles reported that the IDB was awaiting a decision on funding to continue monitoring at Middle Deepdale.

With regard to monitoring at Old Malton re the Eden Farm development. RDC confirmed that it would wait for the results of the CCTV survey before any consideration would be given to funding monitoring.

Chris Bowles had been having ongoing discussions with Kevin Hollinrake MP on funding for Natural Flood Management (NFM). The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs had made a positive speech regarding the reorganisation of farm subsidies, which may support this. Lobbying for SuDS and the EFRA Committee recommendations continued.

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Anne-Louise Orange updated the Group on the Ryevitalise Landscape Partnership.

It was reported that the Partnership had been successful in the Stage 1 bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund and work was in development for a Stage 2 application, meeting Heritage Lottery Fund parameters.

Projects focus on the Upper Rye, Riccal and Seph

Seventeen partners were involved in the Partnership and consultation events were planned with communities at Chopgate and Nunnington in November 2017 to obtain feedback and to raise awareness. All comments were welcomed via an online survey at https://www.surveymonky.co.uk/r/ryevitalise up to May 2018.

The Group was provided with a document listing the projects in development (attached to these minutes)

Attached revised Terms of Reference and details of flood risk management responsibility.

Beckie Bennett gave the following update:

·         The Terms of Reference were agreed at the last meeting however, it was also agreed to invite representatives of Community Flood Groups to future meetings where appropriate

·         The outline bid to the LEP was ongoing

·         Two Flood Grants were approved by the Council for projects at Brawby and Malton. Norton Town Council will be applying in the next round

·         A Joint Community Resilience Plan for Malton has been prepared and this supported their grant application

·         A visit to meet the Tadcaster Flood Action Group and to the Annual Flood Fair was planned

·         A new store for sandbags has been set up on the Wolds and it was hoped to set up a similar arrangement at Gilling

·         The outline business case to support the funding bid to the LEP was being presented to NYCC Committee in October 2017. The next step would be stakeholder engagement. RDC’s commitment to funding was set aside but had not yet been used

Councillor Potter reported that £5 million had been provided to the Integrated Catchment Support Programme (ICASP). This was to provide academic support, researching all available information, including studies and modelling for Natural Flood Management, in the Ouse catchment

There was no other business.

7 February 2018 at 6.00 pm.