Freuchie Flood Action Group

Reading the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 doesn’t easily clear up all the timescales for delivery of the various steps required to comply with the Act and ultimately when it is liable to bring real world flood prevention and protection measures to fruition. Surely there must be an easier way to find out the deliverables timescale rather than reading through and deciphering the Act? Yes, there is now. The Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act Annual Report to Parliament 2009 has recently been published on the Scottish Government website, a report that appears to provide some of the outstanding answers being sought by flood survivors.

Date: 2016

Milestone: Publish implementation plans for delivering all measures set out in local flood risk management plans.

Lead: Local authorities

It is slightly alarming to see it could take until 2016 before local authorities publish their implementation plans. Gulp! Freuchie will undoubtedly have been hit by more flooding before this happens.

The intention is to lay a second commencement order in 2010 to bring into force Part 4 and the remaining sections of Part 6. In commencing Part 4, regulations setting out the transitional arrangements for transfer from the current statutory process for Flood Protection Schemes under the 1961 Act to the new process set out in the FRM Act will also be laid.

Part 4 of the Act relates to local authority powers to manage flood risk. Basically the local authorities gain all manner of new and strengthened powers and responsibilities for flooding in 2010.

In response to the long standing concerns surrounding the existing statutory process for Flood Protection Schemes, we are keen to allow local authorities to utilise the benefits of the new system as early as possible and without the need to go through a lengthy and complex period of transition.

Provision has been made to deliver flood improvements in a more timely fashion, but this will depend on your local authority pushing things along. In the meantime we need to push ahead under the old legislation and transitional arrangements – basically the outgoing regime that is no longer fit for purpose.

From 1 April 2008, funding of flood protection and coast protection schemes is not identified separately but the previous ring-fenced grant provision of £42 million in 2007-08 is rolled up in the General Capital Grant which is distributed to local authorities as part of the 3-year local government finance settlement covering the period 2008-11. The decision to substantially reduce ring-fencing was welcomed by COSLA and local government, and had no impact on the level of capital grant funding available to them. For 2009-10, local government was provided with a general capital grant of £462.64 million. The Scottish Government is continuing to deliver on its commitment to increase local authorities’ share of the Scottish Budget.

The report skirts around the issue of whether there has been increased spending on flood prevention since the change from ring fencing of funds to the Single Outcome Agreement. Going forward, a major worry has to be the potential for underfunding of flooding at local authority level. Councillors may well decide flooding is not a priority as the austerity cuts start to bite. Flood affected communities will have to lobby very hard to ensure councillors don’t make it impossible for flood officers to resource flood prevention and protection projects. Let’s hope we don’t hear Anne Robinson muttering, “Flooding… you are the weakest link!”

The Scottish Flood Forum (SFF) was set up in October 2008, with funding from the Scottish Government and the feedback received, from local authorities, community councils and individuals who have been flooded, on the services provided by SFF is very positive.

Freuchie Flood Action Group has the highest praise for the hard work and advice of Paul Hendy from the Scottish Flood Forum (SFF). We were the first flood action group to work with the SFF, a partnership that ensured Freuchie was well known by everyone that matters in the world of flooding! The commitment outlined in the report to extend the services available from the SFF is fabulous news for flood affected communities.

Elsewhere in the report, ongoing research and projects using Natural Flood Management (NFM) are mentioned. Developments in the flood warning service are welcome, but only become useful in Fife once the projects are rolled out Scotland wide.  The changes in areas of responsibility for the local authorities, Scottish Water, SEPA and other stakeholders are touched upon. A selection of large capital flood projects throughout Scotland are dealt with, but it is interesting to note the lack of information on any Fife projects currently underway!

Flood action groups and flood survivors will take a mixed bag from this report. In general it demonstrates good progress in dealing with flooding in Scotland.

Technorati Tags: Fife, flood, Flood Risk Management, flooding, Freuchie, Freuchie Flood Action Group, Scottish Flood Forum, Scottish Government, SFF

Freuchie Community Council

Meeting 7.30 pm Wednesday 12^th May 2010

Lumsden Memorial Hall

AGENDA

1. Welcome and Apologies

2. Membership

3. Minutes of AGM and meeting of 14^th April

4. Fife Council Matters – Councillors/Locality Manager

5. Treasurer’s Report

6. Planning (to be advised at meeting)

1. New Applications None to date
2. Applications dealt with None to date

7. Correspondence (to be advised at meeting)

Matters for decision/action

Matters for noting

8. Other Business

— Multi-use Games Area update

— Flooding in Freuchie update.

— Footpath from Green Tree Brae to Dykeside update

9. Date and time of the next meeting will be at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 9^th June 2010 in the Lumsden Memorial Hall

Technorati Tags: flooding, Freuchie, Freuchie Community Council, Green Tree Brae

AGM 7.30 Wednesday 14 April 2010

Lumsden Memorial Hall

1. Attendance and apologies

2. Membership

3. Chairman’s Annual report

4. Annual accounts

5. Programme for 2009/10

14 April Litter Pick Saturday 24 April 12 May 9 June

11 August 8 September 13 October 10 November (Christmas tree Saturday 4 December to Thursday 6 January?)

8 December 12 January 9 February 9 March (Youth consultation) 13 April AGM + regular meeting

Next AGM Wednesday 13 April 2011

Followed by Regular Meeting approx. 7.40 pm Wednesday 14 April 2010

AGENDA

1. Welcome and Apologies

Minutes of the meeting of 10 March 2010

Minutes of the Freuchie in Flower Sub-Committee Meeting 24 March 2010

2. Matters arising from the 10 March minutes

3. Fife Council Matters – Councillors/Locality Manager

4. Treasurer’s Report

5. Planning (to be updated at meeting)

1. New Applications W/E 12/03/10 10/00210/FULL Conversion of existing agricultural workshop into a single dwelling at Freuchie Mill House KY15 7JA; W/E 19/03/10 10/00519/FULL Rear extension to dwelling house at Birchfalls, The Feus KY15 7HR; W/E 26/03/10 10/00587/FULL Erection of 10 dwelling houses at land east of 8 Millburn Place KY15 7HG;
2. Applications dealt with None to date

6. Correspondence (to be advised at meeting)

Matters for decision/action

Matters for noting

7. Other Business

—  Litter Pick Saturday 24 April 10 am — 12 noon

— Impact of recent A912 Roadworks. Impact on watercourses (J

Mullen)

— Multi-use games area update

— Flooding in Freuchie update — Fife Flood Alleviation Report 2009

— Footpath from Green Tree Brae to Dykeside update

8. Date of next meeting will be at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 12 May 2010.

Technorati Tags: Freuchie, Freuchie Community Council

For those of you following the proposed affordable homes development in the field to the east of Millburn Place, an important document from Scottish Water has been added that raises a number of new concerns. We will be highlighting these at next week’s community council meeting, but for everyone’s benefit let’s take a look at each of those in turn here:

1. Lack of Knowledge on Flood Risk

Should we become aware of any issues such as flooding, low pressure, etc the Developer will require to fund works to mitigate the effect of the development on existing customers.

Scottish Water can now be added, along with SEPA, as an organisation that does not know about the previous flooding issues with this site and the flood risk ever present. FFAG will be sharing our evidence of flooding with Scottish Water.

2. Water Network

Water Network – Our initial investigations have highlighted there may be a requirement for the Developer to carry out works on the local network to ensure there is no loss of service to existing
customers. The Developer should discuss the implications directly with Scottish Water.

What works may be required to maintain service to the existing and proposed homes?

3. Sewage Works

Freuchie Wastewater Treatment Works – at present there is limited capacity to serve this new demand. The Developer should discuss their development directly with Scottish Water.

Wastewater Network – Our initial investigations have highlighted there may be a requirement for the Developer to carry out works on the local network to ensure there is no loss of service to existing customers. The Developer should discuss the implications directly with Scottish Water.

Does this mean we could be at risk of sewer flooding or discharge of untreated waste into the Pittilock Burn if additional investment isn’t forthcoming to the local treatment works?

4. Surface Water Drainage

A totally separate drainage system will be required with the surface water discharging to a suitable outlet. Scottish Water requires a sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS) as detailed in Sewers for Scotland 2 if the system is to be considered for adoption.

There is a definite requirement to better understand how surface runoff is currently handled at this location. The lack of capacity to handle existing levels of runoff and land drainage that is passed onto the infrastructure at Freuchie Mill is already well documented and makes the adjacent drainage ditch an unsuitable location to dump surface water drainage. There is no other suitable outlet in our opinion.

It is also worth pointing out that SUDS is not a flood prevention measure.

5. Existing Infrastructure

It is possible this proposed development may involve building over or obstruct access to existing Scottish Water infrastructure. On receipt of an application Scottish Water will provide advice that will require to be implemented by the developer to protect our existing apparatus.

What possible infrastructure and what are the implication of the development upon these current assets?

It is heartening to see such a professional evaluation on the possible impact of the development on Scottish Water assets and the effect it may have on existing residents.

Technorati Tags: flooding, Freuchie, Freuchie Community Council, Freuchie Flood Action Group, Freuchie Mill, Kingdom Housing, Millburn Place, Scottish Water, surface drainage, SUDS, waste water

Ewen Jardine, Secretary of Freuchie Community Council, has pointed out the Fife Council Flood Alleviation Report 2009 is now available. Thanks Ewen.

A quick skim through this report reveals underreporting and incomplete analysis of the recent flooding that occurred in Freuchie. FFAG and Freuchie Community Council will be following this up to highlight our concerns.

Technorati Tags: Fife, Fife Council, flood, flooding, Freuchie, Freuchie Community Council, Freuchie Flood Action Group

Following on from the community council public meeting last week, at which time a large turn out of people expressed their concerns and objections to the Broomfield Place development, we now have the direct link to the planning application on the Fife Council website. 

Now is the time for individual residents to comment upon this application and to express approval, disapproval or a neutral standpoint. Concerned residents should express their comments either online or alternatively in writing to the Planning Department. Freuchie residents have already started to place their comments onto the website and we would encourage more Freuchie residents to post their thoughts onto the planning application.

Both Freuchie Community Council and Freuchie Flood Action Group will be making representations to the authorities on this application in due course.

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A little reminder about the public meeting, organised by Freuchie Community Council, to discuss the Broomfield Place housing development by Lomond Homes on behalf of Kingdom Housing. It is tonight!

More details in our earlier post.

Technorati Tags: Freuchie, Freuchie Community Council, Kingdom Housing, Lomond Homes

Cllr David MacDiarmid, John A Thomson (Chairman of Freuchie Flood Action Group) and Freuchie Mill resident Claire Morgan were interviewed and photographer today by The Courier about the surface drainage works currently underway on Freuchie Mill Road.  The news article should be in tomorrow’s newspaper and we highly recommend getting yourself a copy!

Photo: Cllr MacDiarmid and Claire Morgan 

Fife Council workmen have made significant progress over the last few days. Keep up the good work guys.

Technorati Tags: Claire Morgan, Cllr David MacDiarmid, Courier, Fife, Fife Council, Freuchie, Freuchie Mill, Freuchie Mill Road

During tonight’s Freuchie Community Council meeting the issue of the Lomond Homes development for affordable housing to be owned and operated by Kingdom Housing at Broomfield Place was mentioned. The developer has now submitted plans which has some concern for FFAG, the most glaring of which is the developers haven’t been able to get a response from SEPA about the flooding risk in this area. We will be discussing this further with both Lomond Homes and Kingdom Housing to ensure the best outcome for the village and to minimise the flood risk for existing members of the community as well as the new homes.

The community council would like to further consult with the community about this development and have pencilled in the evening of the 24th March 2010 for a public meeting. It will start at 7:30pm in the Lumsden Memorial Hall.

Technorati Tags: FFAG, Freuchie, Freuchie Community Council, Kingdom Housing, Lomond Homes, SEPA

Freuchie Community Council

Meeting 7.30 pm Wednesday 10th March 2010

Lumsden Memorial Hall

AGENDA

1. Welcome and Apologies

2. Membership Resignations of J Kenyon and Marilyn Brown

3. Minutes of meeting of 10th February

4. Fife Council Matters – Councillors/Locality Manager

5. Presentations by the youth of Freuchie at 8pm

6. Treasurer’s Report

7. Planning (to be advised at meeting)
— New Applications None to date
— Applications dealt with None to date

8. Correspondence (to be advised at meeting)
— Matters for decision/action
— Matters for noting

9. Other Business
— Multi-use Games Area update
— Flooding in Freuchie update
— Footpath from Green Tree Brae to Dykeside update
    (Technical meeting on Thursday in Cupar)

10. Date of the AGM and next meeting will be at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 14th April 2010 in the Lumsden Memorial Hall.

Technorati Tags: Fife Council, flooding, Freuchie, Freuchie Community Council