Flooding and severe weather is becoming increasingly common as a result of the climate emergency. All local authorities will continue to be affected in differing ways. Severe weather can be erratic and unpredictable. Nevertheless, Trafford Council still has a responsibility to act to mitigate the damage and disruption that can be caused by severe weather and flooding.

This Council notes:

-        The damage, inconvenience and disruption felt by residents across the borough, as a result of the recent flooding caused by Storm Christoph.

-        The community spirit and goodwill shown by residents who helped each other protect property and check on vulnerable neighbours.

-        The hard work of Council officers and staff during the storm.

-        AMEY plc’s lack of capacity to respond to emergency callouts during and immediately after Storm Christoph, resulting in response times of over 24 hours and residents being unable to request a callout.

This Council calls for:

-        The creation of a ‘Trafford Flooding Resilience’ programme, bringing together members and officers of this council as well as other stakeholders including but not limited to, the Environment Agency, United Utilities, the Bridgewater Canal Company, Network Rail and local residents. The aim of the programme will be to work closely with local communities in Trafford to build resilience against future floods and reduce their impact.

-        The delivery of the ‘Trafford Flooding Resilience’ programme to be overseen by a cross party committee of this Council.

It was moved and seconded that:

“Flooding and severe weather is becoming increasingly common as a result of the climate emergency. All local authorities will continue to be affected in differing ways. Severe weather can be erratic and unpredictable. Nevertheless, Trafford Council still has a responsibility to act to mitigate the damage and disruption that can be caused by severe weather and flooding.

This Council notes:

-         The damage, inconvenience and disruption felt by residents across the borough, as a result of the recent flooding caused by Storm Christoph.

-         The community spirit and goodwill shown by residents who helped each other protect property and check on vulnerable neighbours.

-         The hard work of Council officers and staff during the storm.

-         AMEY plc’s lack of capacity to respond to emergency callouts during and immediately after Storm Christoph, resulting in response times of over 24 hours and residents being unable to request a callout.

This Council calls for:

-         The creation of a ‘Trafford Flooding Resilience’ programme, bringing together members and officers of this council as well as other stakeholders including but not limited to, the Environment Agency, United Utilities, the Bridgewater Canal Company, Network Rail and local residents. The aim of the programme will be to work closely with local communities in Trafford to build resilience against future floods and reduce their impact.

-         The delivery of the ‘Trafford Flooding Resilience’ programme to be overseen by a cross party committee of this Council.”

It was moved and seconded as an amendment that:

Flooding and severe weather is becoming increasingly common as a result of the climate change emergency. All local authorities will continue to be affected in differing ways. Severe weather can be erratic and unpredictable. Nevertheless, Trafford Council still has a responsibility to help act to mitigate the damage and disruption that can be caused by severe weather and flooding.

This Council notes:

-         The damage, inconvenience and disruption felt by residents across the borough, as a result of the recent flooding caused by Storm Christoph.

-         The community spirit and goodwill shown by residents who helped each other protect property and check on vulnerable neighbours.

-         Places on record its thanks forTthe hard work of Council officers and our partners staff during the storm, many going beyond what could have been expected.

-         AMEY plc’s lack of capacity to respond to emergency callouts during and immediately after Storm Christoph, resulting in response times of over 24 hours and residents being unable to request a callout.

This Council calls for:

-         The creation of anofficer working group (which includes partners such as the Environment Agency, United Utilities and others) to replace the current informal arrangements (to be known as the Flood Resilience Working Group). That the new Flood Resilience Working Group report to the recently appointed ‘Air Quality and Climate Change Commission’, where members and other partners can have oversight of its findings and make recommendations. That its work also be presented to proposed Climate Emergency Resident’s Panel to enable local communities to have an input into this work. ‘Trafford Flooding Resilience’ programme, bringing together members and officers of this council as well as other stakeholders including but not limited to, the Environment Agency, United Utilities, the Bridgewater Canal Company, Network Rail and local residents. The aim of the programme will be to work closely with local communities in Trafford to build resilience against future floods and reduce their impact.

      The delivery of the ‘Trafford Flooding Resilience’ programme to be overseen by a cross party committee of this Council.

The mover and seconder of the amendment signified that they wished to withdraw the proposed change to the first sentence of the amendment in order to retain “climate emergency” and the alteration was accepted with the general consent of the Council.

Following a debate on the matter, the amendment (as altered) was put to the vote and declared carried. The substantive Motion was then put to the vote and declared carried.

RESOLVED: That flooding and severe weather is becoming increasingly common as a result of the climate emergency. All local authorities will continue to be affected in differing ways. Severe weather can be erratic and unpredictable. Nevertheless, Trafford Council has a responsibility to help to mitigate the damage and disruption that can be caused by severe weather and flooding.

This Council notes:

-         The damage, inconvenience and disruption felt by residents across the borough, as a result of the recent flooding caused by Storm Christoph.

-         The community spirit and goodwill shown by residents who helped each other protect property and check on vulnerable neighbours.

-         Places on record its thanks for the hard work of Council officers and our partners during the storm, many going beyond what could have been expected.

This Council calls for:

-         The creation of an officer working group (which includes partners such as the Environment Agency, United Utilities and others) to replace the current informal arrangements (to be known as the Flood Resilience Working Group). That the new Flood Resilience Working Group report to the recently appointed ‘Air Quality and Climate Change Commission’, where members and other partners can have oversight of its findings and make recommendations. That its work also be presented to proposed Climate Emergency Resident’s Panel to enable local communities to have an input into this work.