Agenda item

To receive a report and presentation from the Director, Frontline Services.

The Director of Frontline Services presented the report (supported with a Power Point presentation) with the purpose of providing an update on the Council’s actions to mitigate flood risk since Storm Dennis, together with an overview of works undertaken to replace and upgrade flood affected public infrastructure. The Director commented that the report cross references previous reports and commitments following the storm and sets out a programme of works, as contained within the appendices to the report, following the storm events in February 2020 which left over 1,500 properties flooded.

The Director advised that the Council has investigated the flood events and produced a total of nineteen Section 19 Reports, and he referred to the work that has been undertaken in response to the devastation caused by Storm Dennis in 2020 and the areas of capital expenditure with grants and commitments from Welsh Government, together with almost £3m of the Council’s own funding.

The Director explained that the four-year capital programme, which will come to an end this financial year, consists of around £84M in total which includes £42M for direct upgrades and repairs, £20M for coal tips safety works, £14M relating to flood risk management and £4.75M for resilient roads.

The Director referred to Appendix A which provides an overview of the actions reported to Cabinet in December 2020, where they specifically relate to Frontline Services, such as growing its internal capacity at operational level and managing and maintaining the network of drainage assets, developing by laws, raising flood awareness, and enforcement as well as developing a flood risk strategy through a series of consultations, which will be considered by the Council’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Cabinet.

The Director of Frontline Services continued his update on the infrastructure and flood risks through a series of images via a number of Power Point slides under the following headings, which served to demonstrate the volume of the schemes in hand and ongoing across the county borough:

Ø  February 2020 Storm Events

Ø  Receptor Sites

Ø  Phase 3A Drainage & Clearance

Ø  FAS - Park Lane – Pre-construction/Post construction

Ø  Bronallt Terrace FAS

Ø  Treorchy Phase 1a – Heol Tyle Du

Ø  Heath Terrace FAS

Ø  Cefnpennar Road – Internal Culvert Lining

Ø  Pentre Lining & Culvert Replacement

Ø  Pentre Road Inlet

Ø  Tynyncoed Terrace Culvert Upgrade

Ø  A4059 – Newtown Conveyance Swale

Ø  Rhigos Road Culvert Replacements

Ø  Nant Y Frwd – Allen Street, Mountain Ash Emergency Repairs & Upgrade

Ø  Granville Terrace outfall

Ø  Granville Terrace debris basin

Ø  Campbell Terrace- culvert Inlet

Ø  Cwmbach – Canal Road Inlet

Ø  Bryn Ifor -culvert inlet

Ø  Kingcraft Street - Inlet

Ø  Painters Row – Inlet Improvements

Ø  Tramway Culvert

Ø  Glenboi Pumping Station

Ø  Structures Work – Castle Inn Bridge

Ø  Castle Inn Scour Treatment

Ø  Berw Road – (White Bridge) Pontypridd

Ø  BlaencwmRiverwall Phase 2

Ø  Ynysangharad Park Footbridge

Ø  Tynybryn Culvert Outlet Scour Repair

Ø  Ynyshir Community Route

Ø  Pontypridd Road River Wall – Porth

Ø  Cross Street River Wall – Ynyshir

Ø  Maes-Y-Ffynnon Footbridge

Ø  Llwyncelyn Road Embankment

Ø  Cwm Clydach Bridge Scour Repair

Ø  Nant Clydach Bridge – Ynysybwl Scour

Ø  Sion Street, Pontypridd

Ø  Penydarran Tramroad Bridge, Aberdare

Ø  Gelligaled Park Bridge, Ystrad

Ø  Maerdy Mountain Landslip

Following the visual aids, the Director of Frontline Services stressed the importance of continuing the momentum of the series of works across RCT, as with its unique topography and geography the local authority represents the highest risk of surface water flooding.

Following a detailed discussion on the scale of the works that has been and continues to be undertaken across the county borough, the Leader praised the Director of Frontline Services and the relevant teams (particularly that under the Head of Flood Risk Management and Strategic Projects) that have been heavily involved in the delivery of programmes to address the physical impacts of Storm Dennis on public infrastructure and the mitigation of flood risk.

Following the discussion, the Leader, Group/Deputy Group Leaders and the Presiding Member wished to place on record their thanks to the Director of Frontline Services, Mr Roger Waters who would soon be retiring, they paid tribute to his commitment, dedication and hard work during his long career in RCT and they all wished him a long and happy retirement.

The Presiding Member advised that any outstanding questions could be directed to the Director of Frontline Services following the meeting via the Council Business Unit inbox.

It was RESOLVED to note the content of the report and the presentation.