Appendix 1

Delivery Plan 2020/21 – 2022/23

The following table sets out the actions identified to assist the delivery of the objectives of the LFRMS and agreed by LMTE in March 2020. The tables over the following pages identify the lead and supporting partners who will deliver each action as well as the timescales over which the actions would be achieved.

The actions were subject to risks such as the availability of funding and resources and were, therefore, not guaranteed to be delivered in the proposed timescales. For example, over this Delivery Plan Period we saw an increase in planning application consultations from a low of 347 in 2017/18 to an average of 698 applications per year over the Delivery Plan period. Meeting this statutory obligation has proved to be challenging.

Regrettably, the pandemic took place over part of the delivery plan period. This had an impact on our ability to progress a number of actions both in terms of our ability to undertake everyday tasks but also some team members provided support to the County Council’s response to this civil emergency. The team went through a period of staff turnover which in instances required the use of consultancy to ensure the delivery of the service.

Subsequent to the drafting of this Delivery Plan, ESCC successfully bid for £4.5m to progress innovative flood resilience measures in Southern Wealden and Eastbourne as part of Defra’s Flood and Coastal Risk Innovation Programme.

Although outside the period of this delivery plan, the flooding of Hastings town centre in January and October 2023 has led to Southern Water modelling the town centre catchment which will lead to a programme of works to improve the management of risk in the town .

Objective i. - Establish and maintain effective partnerships with key organisations and local communities in order to develop collective knowledge, share best practice and secure funding for local flood risk management measures
Actions	Lead Partner(s)	Supporting Partner(s)	Time Frame	Summary Progress
Identify and develop appropriate structures to ensure continued engagement and progress reporting with key partners and stakeholder on flood and coastal erosion risk management issues.	ESCC, EA	All other RMAs, SDNPA, Local Flood Groups, SALC	Ongoing	Structures are developed on a local basis according to risks present. For example: the Blue Heart Project provides the structures for Eastbourne and Southern Wealden, and the Cuckmere Valley Flood Forum provides a focus for liaison on issues facing Hailsham. Hellingly and the villages of the lower Cuckmere.
Periodically review partner roles and responsibilities and statutory duties	ESCC		Strategy review to take place in 2020/21	Staff turnover, lack of resources and the uncertainty around previous Govt’s intentions to implement Sch.3 delayed all substantive work. Review process is set to commence in September.
Regional liaison on flood risk matters with southern lead local flood authorities through the South East Seven	WSCC	ESCC, KCC, HCC, BHCC, SCC, MC	Ongoing	The SE7 sub group has met during the delivery plan period. However, the ADEPT flood sub group has offered more opportunities to engage on national matters.
Regional liaison on flood risk matters through the Southern Regional Flood and Coastal Committee	RFCC secretariat	RFCC members	Ongoing	ESCC presence on the Committee has been maintained

Objective i. - Establish and maintain effective partnerships with key organisations and local communities in order to develop collective knowledge, share best practice and secure funding for local flood risk management measures
Actions	Lead Partner(s)	Supporting Partner(s)	Time Frame	Summary Progress
Working in partnership with local stakeholders to explore opportunities for delivering local schemes. Assess the potential for securing funding for local flooding hotspots	EBC, HBC, LDC, RDC, WDC	ESCC, EA, Southern RFCC	Ongoing	Brooklyn Road, Seaford, Western Road Crowborough, and Wren Close Heathfield – PFR funding secured. . Blue Heart national innovation pilot funding secured January 2021. Hailsham flood modelling funding secured 2022.
Work with catchment-based partnerships to align flood risk management/drainage policies and projects with catchment priorities as and when the opportunity arises	Existing Catchment Partnerships	All other RMAs, SDNPA	Ongoing	Key work undertaken through the Blue Heart project for southern Wealden and Eastbourne.
Work with the Pevensey & Cuckmere Water Level Management Board in advising Local Planning Authorities on the flood risk implications of major planning applications and local planning policy in the Board’s catchment	PCWLMB, ESCC	EA, EBC, HBC, RDC WDC, NE	Ongoing	Partnership working with the PCWLMB is ongoing during the delivery plan period we received 645 planning application consultations in the PCWLMB catchment.
Draft Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan in accordance with national guidance	SW	ESCC, EA, EBC, HBC, LDC, RDC, WDC	Summer 2022	Southern Water concluded its consultation on the draft regional DWMP and its sub catchments in 2022

Objective ii. Improve the evidence base and understanding of local flood risk to ensure that limited resources are targeted in the areas of highest risk and vulnerability.
Actions	Lead Partner(s)	Supporting Partner(s)	Time Frame	Progress Summary
Continue to review/develop lead local flood authority resources and capacity to fulfil statutory requirements	ESCC, MHCLG, DEFRA, EA, LGA	All other RMAs, SDNPA	Ongoing	Key activity has been liaison with Defra, DLUHC, Adept, and professional bodies on the resource impacts of the implementation of Sch.3 of the FWMA.
Undertake Section 19 Investigations where appropriate	ESCC	All other RMAs	Ongoing	Brooklyn Road, Seaford 2021 Wren Close, Heathfield 2022 Hastings 2022 and 2023.
Undertake investigations, and enforce where necessary, into potential contraventions of the Land Drainage Act 1991.	ESCC	All other RMAs	Ongoing	400 investigations/enquiries dealt with over the reporting period. No enforcement activity progressed to legal action.
Maintain and update: 1) Flood incident database; and 2) Database of land drainage enquiries and ordinary watercourse consents.	ESCC	None	Ongoing	1) Update of databases occurs annually, currently reviewing scope for automated system to speed up data collection. 2) Land drainage database established and updated on regular and frequent basis
Undertake county-wide study identifying Areas of Critical Drainage Concern for use in Local Plan policy and development management decisions	ESCC	All Planning Authorities	Ongoing	These areas have, although not identified specifically, been superseded by the work of Strategic Flood Risk Assessments of the local plans .
Provide evidence base and policy proposals for managing groundwater flood risk and development in Southern Wealden	ESCC	WDC and PCWLMB	Summer 2020	Completed in 2020 – results communicated to the local planning authorities.
Develop a policy approach to manage both the water quantity and quality impacts of new development in the Pevensey Levels catchment.	ESCC/PCWLMB	EBC, RDC, WDC, NE, EA, Sussex WT	April 2023	This project was not progressed beyond the conceptual model stage given the difficulties in accurately

Objective iii. -Empower communities and land owners to take actions in order to be prepared for and limit the impacts of flooding.
Actions	Lead Partner(s)	Supporting Partner(s)	Time Frame	Progress Summary
Raise awareness of the SuDS requirements within Local Planning Authorities, the development industry and the consultancy sector (where necessary and feasible) by holding training for Members and officers of LPAs and developers’ fora	ESCC	District and Borough Councils	Ongoing	Training held as when need requested, this has included sessions with planning officers. Member training has taken place. Developers’ fora awareness raising has taken place as part of meetings of Developers East Sussex
Promote awareness of householder responsibilities and legal obligations of riparian ownership	ESCC	EA, East Sussex RMAs	Ongoing	This occurs as and when land drainage cases and investigations arise.
Provide access to useful and up-to-date flood risk information for communities.	ESCC, EA	All RMAs	Ongoing	County Council website updated as and when necessary. Blue Heart trialling community awareness techniques and tools.
Ensure that local flood risk is appropriately addressed within neighbourhood plans.	EBC, HBC, LDC, RDC, WDC, SDNPA	ESCC SALC	Deadlines set by consultation programme for each plan	Ongoing
Promote transparency and public accountability of risk management authority activities through East Sussex County Council’s Scrutiny Committee process.	ESCC	All other RMAs	As and when circumstances require a Scrutiny review	Next meeting September 2024
Encourage community groups to identify flood risk issues and to progress potential flood risk solutions	ESCC, EA, EBC, HBC, LDC, RDC, WDC, SDNPA, SRF	Local Flood Groups, SALC, Action in Rural Sussex, NFF	Ongoing	No activity over the reporting period due to limited staff resources.
Support district and boroughs in awareness raising projects within local communities.	EBC, HBC, LDC, RDC, WDC	ESCC, EA	Ongoing	Support provided as when requested but due to covid restrictions and

Objective iv. Avoid increasing flood and coastal erosion risk by encouraging best practice for the maintenance of assets and preventing inappropriate development.
Actions	Lead Partner(s)	Supporting Partner(s)	Time Frame	Progress Summary
Respond to statutory consultations on the local flood risk and drainage aspects of major planning applications within deadlines set, and Local Planning Authorities to give due consideration to the consultation responses.	ESCC, PCWLMB	All Planning Authorities RMAIDB UMIDB, SW, EA	Ongoing and to deadlines set by the development management process	2071 consultations on planning applications were received by the LLFA in the delivery plan period. In addition, 227 requests for pre -application advice from developers and planning authorities over the same time.
Provide advice and support to Local Planning Authorities on development plan policy and allocations, and for planning authorities to incorporate these recommendations into the resulting policies.	ESCC, PCWLMB	RMAIDB UMIDB, SW EA	Ongoing and according to local plan programmes	140 sites assessed as part of local plan development processes in the county. Engagement with planning authorities on development planning is ongoing.
Develop a fluvial flood risk model for the Polegate, Eastbourne, Mountney Sewer catchments to inform the development of the Wealden District and the Eastbourne Borough local plans	WDC, EBC, ESCC	EA, SW, PCWLMB	December 2020	Project completed December 2021 due to model complexities and questions arising from the Environment Agency assurance process.
Develop, secure funding and implement a programme of studies to increase the understanding of flood risk and water management within the Pevensey hydrological catchment and in turn inform development management and planning policy decisions	PCWLMB/ESCC	EA WDC EBC RDC NE SWT	2022/23	Umbrella action relating to surveying, hydraulic modelling and water quality projects within the catchment. Although, some outputs have been delayed (hydraulic modelling) due to unforeseen complexities, our response sot LPAs are informed by this work.
Undertake the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment of the emerging Eastbourne Borough Local Plan	ESCC	EBC, PCWLMB	Draft local plan timetable	ESCC led project did not commence due to lack of staff resource. EBC commissioned external consultant – ESCC officers provided support where requested.

Objective v. Work in partnership to deliver cost-effective flood and coastal erosion risk management measures which take a catchment wide approach and contribute to wider social, economic and environmental benefits.
Actions		Lead Partner(s)	Supporting Partner(s)	Time Frame	Progress Summary
Deliver the Wealden Community Resilience Project		WDC	EA, ESCC, Relevant Parish and Town Councils in Wealden	2021	Completed to budget and time.
Work with local RMAs to identify measures in the Bourne Stream catchment to better manage surface water for the benefit of the foul water network.		SW	ESCC EBC, SW. EA	2021	This action has been taken over by the Blue Heart project and as such is part of the longer timescales of the project.
Work with partners to address issues identified in Surface Water Management Plans in the county.	Secure funding and deliver resilience measures for Brooklyn Road, Seaford	LDC	ESCC, SW, Seaford Flood Action	March 2021	Project delayed by lockdown but take up exceeded expectations and more properties were added, Final property completed in September 2023.
	Complete optioneering and seek funding for the delivery of a flood alleviation scheme for Meeching Valley, Newhaven	ESCC	LDC	May 2020	Optioneering project finalised. It was concluded that slowing/attenuating flows through the upper catchment would not be a cost beneficial approach.

Objective v. - Work in partnership to deliver cost-effective flood and coastal erosion risk management measures which take a catchment wide approach and contribute to wider social, economic and environmental benefits.
Actions		Lead Partner(s)	Supporting Partner(s)	Time Frame	Progress Summary
Work with partners to address issues identified in Surface Water Management Plans in the county.	Deliver soft engineering solutions to managing surface water at Tompsets Bank, Forest Row	Ashdown Conservators	ESCC	March 2021	Partially completed due to onsite difficulties with removing flow from road surfaces. Staff turnover in both Conservators and ESCC created delivery problems.
	Secure funding for the update of surface water flood models in Eastbourne and Hailsham	ESCC		March 2020	Funding for Eastbourne secured via the Blue Heart project. Bids to central govt for Hailsham mapping unsuccessful until 2022.
	Subject to the above, deliver updated surface water flood models	ESCC	EA, SW, EBC, WDC	March 2021	Surface water mapping for Eastbourne and Southern Wealden delivered in 2022. Hailsham Model completed at the end of 2023.
	Secure funding for and deliver the evidence base and policy responses necessary to manage the water quality and quantity impacts of new development on the Pevensey Levels	PCWLMB ESCC,	EBC, WDC, RDC.	March 2023	Report delivered.

Objective v. Work in partnership to deliver cost-effective flood and coastal erosion risk management measures which take a catchment wide approach and contribute to wider social, economic and environmental benefits.
Actions		Lead Partner(s)	Supporting Partner(s)	Time Frame	Progress Summary
Work with partners to address issues identified in Surface Water Management Plans in the county.	Commission surveys and modelling of Board assets to improve the evidence base for policy and investment decisions	PCWLMB	EA, EBC, WDC, local land owners	Phase 1 – Autumn 2020 Phase 2- Spring 2021 Phase 3 - Spring 2022 Phase 4 – Spring 2023	Programme delayed by the complexity and unique nature of the project. Phases 1 and 4 complete Phases 2 and 3 now underway
	Complete Hastings Central Flood Alleviation Scheme business cases	ESCC	HBC	May 2020	Business cases completed on time.
	Secure funding for Hastings Central Flood Alleviation Scheme business cases	ESCC	HBC	April 2021	Initial business cases demonstrated that attenuation options had delivery issues and did not secure the benefits necessary to qualify for funding. Dispute over ownership of the Denmark Place culvert prevented further development of a funding bid. .
	Review the Eastbourne Area Surface Water Management Plan	ESCC	EBC WDC EA SW, PCWLMB	March 2022	Blue Heart project has absorbed this target and has been developing the evidence base and actions which will lead to a revised plan for the area.in 2027
Develop and implement a flood alleviation scheme for Crowhurst		EA, SWT, Sussex Flow	Pevensey Catchment Partnership		Natural Flood Management options are currently being evaluated and delivered
Improve the maintenance and management of highway drainage assets.		ESCC Highway Authority	ESCC Flood Risk Management	Ongoing	Drainage maintenance carried in accordance with Highway Authority priorities. LLFA support provided where enforcement activity may be an issue.