Meeting held at10am, Thursday7thApril2016

Towyn & Kinmel Bay Resource Centre, Kinmel Bay

Minutes

Geoff Corry – Chair (GC)

Cllr Stuart Anderson – CCBC Elected Member

Shaun Wasik – CCBC

Barry Griffiths – Chief Flood Warden Kinmel Bay (BG)

Cllr Bill Darwin – CCBC Elected Member (Cllr BD)

Allan Sharp – CCBC Business and Enterprise (AS)

Eleri Salisbury – Emergency Planning Officer – NWC-REPS (ES)

Shane Wetton - Community Development (Coastal), Community Development (SW)

Dave Hallows – British Red Cross

Apologies

Jonathan Williams – Ops Manager – NWC-REPS (JW)

Dyfed Rowlands – CCBC (DR)

Peter Worswick (PW)

Glyn Jones – Cartrefi Conwy (GJ)

Iain Hayes– CCBC (IH)

Sherron Kitchen – NRW (SK)

Tom Gravett – CCBC (TG)

Robyn Sandham – CCBC (RD)

Eirian Redmayne – NRW (ER)

Daniel Bown – NRW (DB)

Craig Davies – NRW (CD)

Cllr. Luke Knightly – (LK)

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1.Welcome & Apologies

The chair and welcomed all to the meeting and apologies were received and noted.

  1. Declaration of Any Other Business

Nothing declared.

  1. Minutes of Previous Meeting & Matters Arising

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as a true record.

Matters arising:

Page 3 Action SA/BG to draft letter to AM hasn’t been progressed. Because of purdah it was agreed to defer until after elections when action would be picked up by SA and GC.

Action: SA/GC

BG & SA explained that they had had had broad brush discussions with DR and Geraint Edwards regarding the interface between onshore and off shore matters and the need for honesty and engagement with the public in flood related matters.

It was reported that DR’s focus was on securing funding for investigatory work locally and Welsh Government had declined several local authority applications and it was suggested that more collaboration between to Conwy and Denbighshire would be more effective and possibly also with NRW and Clwyd left Bank was referred to. It was suggested that the role of this group could be support co-ordinated applications for funding following joint discussions.

BD referred to silting at the three finger groynes at Horton’s Nose and how overtopped with sand. Studies done on wave action and stone drift but the wind has blown the sand in which moves faster. It was suggested that needs modelling. Question was asked about dredging and although tenders out for it there’s been little or no response.

  1. Individual Organisation Updates

NWC-REPS

ES explained that the review of Flood Partnership Groups and how they run across North Wales is ongoing with a paper having been drafted and circulated to CCBC and NRW for comments. An update on the situation would be provided at July’s meeting.

NWC-REPS has a newly appointed Regional Manager Mr. Neil Culff and Mr. Peter Brown now takes over from Ken Finch as the Civil Contingencies lead for CCBC.

British Red Cross

DH provided a brief update on ongoing good work of British Red Cross and explained that the upgrade of facilities at Abergele was complete with 30 no. outgoing lines now installed.

CCBC

SW explained that reviews following Christmas floods were ongoing.

Routine maintenance schedules continue.

Grant situational report not available but SW to update via e-mail when ready.

Action: SW

SA expressed that openness and transparency required about any applications being applied for because there’s completion across areas.

SW explained that unsuccessful applications don’t disappear or are not forgotten about on rejection but instead the programmes for the schemes slip and shelved until next round.

SA suggested that application need the support of Members and these schemes need to brought to attention of people Like David Jones & Darren Miller. These to be invited to next meeting.

Action: ES

SW explained that there had been a change internal structure and the new service is called Strategic Planning & Communities Service. The Service objective is to contribute to the creation of sustainable communities in Conwy.

The Service as a whole will be working closely to deliver the needs of Conwy’s communities, but each team will also have their specific programmes and projects to deliver, including for example review of the Local Development Plan (LDP). SA suggested that a plan is required for Towyn & Kinmel Bay and Clwyd River Mouth area.

It was noted that some discussion and joining would be required with Denbighshire.

SA asked that planning was done taking into consideration both sides of the river.

  1. Flood Warden Update

BG’s April Report had been received and circulated.

BG spoke around the report and noted that NRW were once again absent from the meeting. He explained that the issues raised are priorities for the community and the fact that NRW are not here to discuss matters isn’t helping. SA expressed gratitude for BG report and gave thanks for the information provided which is very useful. SA said active beach management is required now as risks faced are old. Action is required.

GC spoke about shale replacement and that there appears to be no maintenance so is eroding. It was explained that level is remaining at its original spec but the question is this adequate. It potentially not sufficient and DR has applied for funding but applications aren’t joined up to get these through.

BG explained that he had been invited to an exercise planning meeting. The exercise was a North Wales Police (NWP) proposal to test Project Exodus their system for identyfing potentially vulnerable people and to NWP when prioritising areas for evacuation.

There was some discussion around BG’s Website and facebook page and SW explained he would be very interested in seeing some analytical data about these sites including targeted areas and site hits and who’s following the pages.

Action: BG

SW expressed interest in understanding the level of community engagement and involvements and stressed how important it was for residents to take ownership and encourage self help.

DH explained that the North Wales Local Resilience Forum was considering holding a number of events later in the year under the banner of Community Resilience Week and several voluntary agencies could be coming together to hold a day’s even at Llandudno to demo their resources and invited BG to contact him with a view of having a stall at this event.

Action BG to link with DH

  1. Any other Business

Town Council support to group had been tabled. Await update from JW.

  1. Next Meeting

10am, 7thJuly 2016 – British Red Cross Building, Abergele.

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