Minutes:
Emily Mellalieu (NYCC) provided the following update:
Malton
· The scheme is progressing with funders and developing a business cases for funding. A number of bids in place, if all are successful it would achieve full funding for the scheme
· Currently refining the figures with the EA and working with the LEP for potential growth funding
· NYCC has £450k potential underwritten funding. There is approval in principle from RDC
· The team will be working out cost benefits, preparing detailed designs and delivery over next few months
· More information will be available at the next meeting, including progress with apps
Wider catchments: Ryevitalise and Yorkshire Derwent Partnership Project
· The EA have £50k for Natural Flood Management to cover Derwent Villages: Thornton le Dale, Hovingham, Gilling and other, which does not have to provide property resilience unlike other funding schemes
· £75k has been committed for other schemes
Emily introduced Gareth Roberts, a new Project Engineer who will be covering Ryedale and Richmondshire.
NYCC has been selected by the Committee for Climate Change Adaptation as a study for part of research into the difficulties around rural authorities submitting successful funding bids.
It was asked whether the case study would lead to widespread solutions for surface water flooding. It was confirmed that of 20% impact surface water only 6% funding goes towards this. The Committee will make recommendations, however we are only at the start of the process, so difficult to comment at this stage.
In response to a question on the definition of surface flooding, it was confirmed that there are various definitions, however it can be from lack of maintenance or for other reasons. NYCC looks at internal property flooding only, blockages on highways should be dealt with by highway maintenance. Every highway gets one treatment a year on a cycle for highway clearance. Any repeat problems should be investigated and responded to.
NYCC have spent £100k and will bridge any gaps up to £450k.
Yorkshire Water are currently doing an integrated drainage plan for Norton
Plans for closer working with NYCC
It was stressed that it is important to report any issues via website as the case is then referred immediately to an inspector https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/road-drains-and-gully-cleaning
It was asked whether the design of gulley pots could be improved as they are unable to deal with extreme rainfall. In response, it was reported that they could but there are no plans to change them at present. NYCC is looking at more sustainable drainage methods.
Grants are available to farmers for funding to implement solutions to the problem of surface water running from private land onto public land. Treating the highway is preventing action being taken at sources, and NYCC is working with Natural England to stop this happening.
NYCC’s preference is for open ditches with the onus on farmers to take responsibility for ongoing repair and maintenance. Support is required to help farmers to improve the situation. The EA is currently working on this with partners.
Explanation of riparian ownership
Generally, a landowner will own a stretch of watercourse that runs on or under their land or on the boundary of their land, up to its centre.
In cases where a watercourse is on a land boundary also adjacent to the publicly maintained highway, ownership of the full width of the watercourse would be assumed to be with the landowner on the side which meets said watercourse as opposed to responsibility being shared with any land which meets the adjacent highway.
Whilst the highway authority has a responsibility to maintain access across the highway, adjacent landownership would nevertheless extend to include the sub soil to the centre line of the carriageway.