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13.1 |
Sheffield City Council is a Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) and flood Risk Management Authority (RMA) as described in the Flood Risk Regulations 2009. These regulations require the RMAs to identify nationally significant flood risk areas (FRAs) and to prepare Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs) for the FRAs that they identify. These plans are required to be reviewed on a 5-year cycle.
The latest FRMPs have been prepared by the Environment Agency working in partnership with LLFAs across England. The draft plans were published online in autumn 2021 and a public consultation was held from 22 October 2021 to 21 January 2022. Following broad support for the plans it has been agreed to publish the final plan in line with the draft document without changes.
Ahead of publication of the final plans in autumn 2022 the Environment Agency has requested that all LLFAs acknowledge our responsibility in writing for our part in the FRMPs and confirm we have internal approval for publication of certain information provided to the Environment Agency.
The report outlines how approval of the FRMP as proposed is to the benefit of the City of Sheffield and will fulfil our responsibilities under the Flood Risk Regulations 2009 in the preparation of an appropriate plan. |
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13.2 |
RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee:-
1. acknowledges the Council’s responsibility in writing, as requested by the Environment Agency, for our part, as Lead Local Flood Authority, in the Humber River Basin Flood Risk Management Plan; and
2. notes that this will fulfil our responsibilities under the Flood Risk Regulations 2009 to identify nationally significant Flood Risk Areas (FRAs) and to prepare Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs) for the FRAs that they identify. |
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13.3 |
Reasons for Decision |
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13.3.1 |
The Flood Risk Regulations 2009 require the Flood Risk Management Authorities (RMAs) to identify nationally significant flood risk areas (FRAs) and to prepare Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs) for the FRAs that they identify. These plans are required to be reviewed on a 5-year cycle |
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13.3.2 |
The Environment Agency, given its strategic oversight of flood risk across England, has led on the production of the latest FRMPs. Sheffield City Council, in common with our fellow Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs), have worked with the Environment Agency in preparing these plans. Ahead of their publication of the finalised plans the Environment Agency has requested that all LLFAs acknowledge our responsibility in writing for our part in the FRMPs and confirm we internal approval for publication of certain information provided to the Environment Agency. |
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13.3.3 |
Sheffield City Council approval of the Humber River Basin FRMP confirms our ongoing commitment to deliver our flood programme and acknowledges our statutory responsibilities but does not place any direct addition duties or burdens on us in itself. |
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13.3.4 |
Were we not to endorse this plan, as prepared in partnership with the Environment Agency, we would be required by the Flood Risk Regulations 2009 to prepare our own. Significant revenue and resources would be required to produce our own independent FRMP. This would result in delays and an additional unbudgeted cost. |
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13.4 |
Alternatives Considered and Rejected |
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13.4.1 |
No reasonable alternative exists, we are being asked to endorse the plan already prepared in partnership and consulted on. FRMPs are a statutory requirement. |
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13.4.2 |
If we were not to sign up to the Regional Plan as prepared in partnership with the Environment Agency, then we would be required to prepare our own Sheffield specific FRMP from scratch. This would have significant resource implications and a significant unbudgeted revenue cost. |