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MeetingNote

KPFGCommitteeMeeting23rdNovember2016

Location: KemnayAcademy

Time: 7.00pm

Present:CommitteeMembersKenLedingham(Chairman)HelenChalmersJudeGalasAlistairGillJohnMcNicolJimBuchan

TamaraForgie-Watt–SanctuaryHousingPaulHendy-TheScottishFloodForumIreneFerguson-KemnayCommunityCouncil

AberdeenshireCouncilGavinPenman–ProjectManagerLeeWatson-ActingPrincipalEngineerScottishWaterDianeBurgess–RegionalCommunityTeamManagerBenBickle–FloodingTeamKevinMuir–DrainageEngineerFloodingInvestigationTeam

ApologiesSteveMcGillWelcome:

KenLedinghamwelcomedalltothemeetingandsuggestedthatweshoulddealwiththebusinessinvolvingmembersofAberdeenCouncilandScottishWaterinthefirstplace.Thiswasagreed.

1. TemporaryfloodprotectionatKP-responsefromCounciltolistofquestionsaboutWatergatebarrierwithGavinPenmanandLeeWatsonfromAberdeenshireCouncilwithinputfromrepresentativesfromScottishWater.LeeWatsonspokeforthecouncil,hedescribedthehistoryandthepositionofKemnayinrelationtothefloodinginJanuary.HeindicatedthatKemnayisnotaPVAatpresentbutSEPAarelikelytodesignateKemnayasaPVAin2019beforetheCouncil’snextplanningcyclewhichstartsin2022.InthemeantimehesaidthattheWatergatetemporarybarriercanbedeployedwithoutplanningpermissionsoitapotentialsolutionuntilsuchtimeasa

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permanentbarriercanbelookedat.Leeusedslidestoshowtheproposedbarrierroutewhichwillconnectthetwoexistingbunds.Thisrouteinvolvedachangeindirectionmidrouteasshowninsomeofhisslidesbelow.

(AllslidesusedavailablefromJimBuchanonrequest)AlistairGillaskedwhyastraightroutecannotbeused,acknowledgingthatitwouldbealongerroute.

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JimBuchanaskedifthecouncilhastakenadvicefromthesupplierofWatergateaboutintroducingabend.Councilrepresentativesrespondedthattheyhavetakenadviceandthatadditionalballastatthepointwherethebarrierbendswoulddealwiththisissue.JudeGalasasked“Whatabouttheimpactoffloatingdebrissuchastreesetc?”.KevinMuir(ScottishWater)indicatedthattherewouldbelessforceofflowintheareawherethebarrierwouldbedeployedsodebriswillnotfloatintothisareawithmuchvelocity.KenLedinghamsuggestedatthispointthatweshouldmoveontothewrittenanswerstothecommitteequestionswhichhadbeensenttotheCouncilpreviously.Question:Kenaskedifthesystemwillbepurchased?Answer:GavinPenmanstatedastheprojectcostisover£50kitwillbenecessarytoobtainafullydetailedquoteandobtainpermissiontoproceedwiththepurchasefromtheGariochAreaCommittee.Hestatedthathedoesnotforeseeanyobstaclestoapprovalbeinggranted.Question:Kenaskedwhatarrangementsapplytotheprovisionofpumps?Answer:Gavinthinksthatratherthanpurchasepumpsitwouldbepreferabletohaveacompanycontractedtoprovidethemwhenneeded.Whenafloodthreathasbeendeclared,thepumpswillbebroughtonsiteinreadinessforuse.Thesepumpswouldalsobeservicedtoensurethattheyareingoodworkingorderwhenneeded.KenstatedthattheRotaryclubhasofferedtodonateapumptobothKembhillParkFloodGroupandMiltonMeadowsResidentsAssociation.Question:Kenasked“Whatsortofstoragecontainerwillbeprovided?Willitbevandalproof?”Answer:Assurancewasgivethatitwouldbeametalcontainerwhichwouldbeverysecure.Question:Kenaskedifelectricalgeneratorswillbeprovidedtopowerfloodlights.Inviewofthefactthattherearenostreetlightsintheareawherethesystemneedstothedeployedthiswouldbeuseful.Lightswouldbeneededduringdeploymentandlaterontovisuallymonitorthesysteminuse.Comment:KevinMuirsuggestedthattherewouldbeaneedtoprovidesecuritymonitoringwhenthesystemisdeployed.Thepoliceshouldalsobeinformedtoseewhattheycandotoprovideaddedsecuritysuchasadditionalpatrols.PaulHendysuggestedthatawebCamsurveillancesystemwouldbegoodtoallowremotemonitoring.Answer:GavinstatedthattheCouncilintendtogive12hoursnoticeofafloodalertsothatwecanhavethebarrierdeployedingoodtimeandingoodlight.Noexplicitcommitmenttoprovidepowergeneratorswasmade.

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Comment:KevinMuirthoughtweshouldplanto“overreact”inthefirstplacetogetthedeploymentexercisewellrehearsed.Thiscouldbedonebyhavingvolunteersexecutethesetupprocedurebeforearealemergencyoccurs.Question:KenaskedwhentheGariochAreaCommitteewillcometoafinaldecisionandthefullproposalwouldbeready.Answer:GavinstatedthatthenextcommitteemeetinghewouldbeabletopresenthisproposalstoisinJanuarysothedetailedproposalwouldbedesignedandavailableforthecommunitytoseeatthattime.Question:Kenaskediflifejacketswouldbeprovidedforvolunteers?Discussion:Thisgaverisetosomediscussion,KevinMuirstatedthatifalifejacketisneededpeopleareinanareawheretheymightbeindangerwhichwouldbebetteravoided.PaulHendycommentedthatitmaybebettertoprepareforapotentialaccidentwhereavolunteermightfindthemselvesinthewater.Somecommentsweremadeaboutthepowerofflowingwaterwiththebestadvicebeingtokeepwellclearofmovingwater.Requestfromamemberofthepublictojointhemeeting:AtthispointDianeBurgess,whohadbeencalledoutofthemeetingearlierbytheperson,returnedtothemeetingandaskedifthepersoncouldattendthemeetingtoobserve.CommitteemembersagreedunanimouslythatthiswouldnotbeappropriateasthepersonisneitheramemberofKPFGorthiscommittee.Dianeagainleftthemeetingtoinformthepersonofthisdecisionandreturned.Question:Kenaskedaboutvolunteer’sinsurancecoveriftheyweredeployingtheWatergatebarrier?CantheCouncilclarifywhatactivitieswouldbecovered?Answer:ItwasagreedbyGavinthathewillprovideinformationonwhatactivitieswouldbecovered.Question:IreneaskedifthereisanyupdateonInsuranceforGeneralVillageVolunteers.GavinstatedthatthereiscoverforKemnayCommunityCounciltowhichIreneagreed,however,addedthatitwasrecentlystatedbyColinGrayofACthatthematterofinsuranceforGeneralVillageVolunteersiswiththeinsurersandtheScottishGovernment.Gavintogetthisfurtherclarified.Action–Gavinsaidhewouldgetthisclarifiedandreportbacktothecommitteeinwriting.ConditionsofinsuranceProvision:

• Gavinwillhavetokeeparegisterofnamedpeoplewhowillbetrainedandcoveredbytheinsurancepolicy.

• Onlythoseonanauthorisedvolunteerlistwillbecovered.• Adhocvolunteerswouldnotbecovered.

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• Councilwillprovideaninitialtrainingsessiontoregisteredvolunteers.Gavinstatedthatallregisteredvolunteersmustbetrained.ItwassuggestedthatSimonCrowther,whoissupplyingtheWatergatebarriermightbeinvitedtoprovideatrainingsessionforvolunteers.Question:Jimasked“WhataretheexacttimescalesforprovisionoftheWatergatesolution”?Answer:GavinsaidthatsubjecttothesuppliersabilitytodeliverandtheGariochAreaCommitteehavingapprovedtheexpenditurethebarriercouldbedeliveredquitequicklyafterthat.Question:JimaskediftheWatergatesolutionwasdeployed,wouldthisprejudiceanyexpendituretoprovideafuturepermanentsolution?Answer:GavinstatedthatiftheKembhillParkcommunityweretoacceptthetemporaryWatergatesystemthiswillnotpreventfurthermoneybeingspentwhenwebecomeaPVAandafullfloodrisksurveyhasbeencompletedinrelationtotheeffectofapermanentbarrieroncommunitiesdownstream.GavinreaffirmedthatWatergateisatemporarysolutionandthatitwouldnotpreventapermanentsolutionbeingprovidedonceKemnayisaPVAandastudyhasbeendone.Question:Jimaskedifthiscanbeputinwriting.Answer:Gavinagainstatedthatthisisatemporarymeasure(butdidnotcommittoputthisinwriting)ActionJimtowritetoGavintoseekwrittenconfirmationonthispoint.Jimthencommentedthat“ItmaybepossiblethattheWatergatesolutionismorecostlythananothertemporarysolution”Gavinstatedthat“theWatergatesystemisthebesttemporarysolutionforthislocationandiscostefficient”GavinrepeatedthatastheWatergatebarrierisatemporarysolutiontherewasnoneedforafullfloodriskstudytobedone.Question:Alistairaskedwhatwasthecostofafloodriskstudy.Answer:Gavinstatedthatitwouldbeapproximately£100k.LeeWatsonpointedoutthatitwouldbefullKemnayareastudy,notjustforKembhillParkanditwouldbefundednationally.

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Comment:Kevincommentedthatifatemporaryfloodbundwasbuiltitwouldimpactonsitesbothupanddownstream.Discussion:SomediscussionfollowedaboutthePortElphinstonebund.Gavinstatedthatthiswasareconstructiontorestorethatbundtoitsoriginalstate.Therewasalotofrabbitburrowdamagewhichledtoitscollapseduringtheflooding.Therewasalsoafloodstudydonewhenitwasoriginallybuilt.Comment:PaulsaidthatputtingtheWatergatesysteminplacewouldhavethesameeffectonwaterbeingdiverteddownstreameverytimeitisdeployed.TheimpactofhavingabarrierarethesamewhetheritisadeployabletemporarysolutionsuchasWatergateora“temporary”earthbunddesign.Answer:Gavinstated“Ifweneedtobuilda“temporary”earthbundsolution,thiswouldraisetheissueofplanningpermissionbeingrequiredanddelaymattersfurther.Question:JuderaisedtheissueofAbergeldycastleandtheconstructionworkwhichwasdonebyputtingstonesintherivertosupportthebuildingaftertheflooddamagethereandaskedwhatplanningpermissionwasgiventodothis?Answer:GavinconfirmedthattheCouncilwasnotinvolvedinthatprojectinanywayanddidnotelaborate.Question:Jimasked”whatifanearthbundsimilartoPortElphinstonewasbuiltonthebasisthatitcanberemovedormodifiedifafuturestudywastoindicatethatanalternativesolutionshouldbeinstalledwithadifferentconstructionorroute?”.Kenraisedtheissueofgettingasectionoftheexistingbundrepairedasthereisquiteadipnearthehousesatnumbers43to45whichmightleadtothebundbeingbreachedinhighwaterconditions.Answer:Gavinstatedthathewouldbereluctanttodothisworkuntilafloodriskstudyhasbeenconducted.Comment:JimstatedthatbasedonthePEbundcostings(whichGavinhasconfirmedtoJim),asimilarsolutionatKembhillParkcouldcostlessthantheindicativecostoftheWatergatesystem.JimemphasisedhoweverthatwestillwanttheWatergatebarrierbutthatweneedtokeepaconversationgoingaboutdoingsomethingdifferentofatemporarynaturewhichmaybelesscostlytotheCouncilinthelongrunandcompletelyremoveanyrisktopeoplewhootherwisewouldhavetodeploytheWatergatebarriereverytimetherewasathreatofflooding.Discussion:TherefolloweddiscussionconcerningthePortElphinstonebundwhereGavinstatedthatitisnotformalbundanditsconstructionisnotwhatwouldberequiredforaformalfloodprotectiondeviceresultingfromafullfloodriskstudy.

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JimassertedthatthismeansthatitmustbeatemporarybundandthatitmightbeappropriatetoconsidersuchaconstructionatKembhillPark.Ireneaskedifatemporaryearthenworksbundwouldrequireafloodstudy.Gavinsaidthatitwouldnot.Alistairalsocommentedthataconstructionofthistypecouldbesubjecttoremoval/upgradeasaconsequenceofafullfloodriskstudyinthefuture.Answer:Gavinstatedthathewouldneedtoconsulthisplanningdepartmentcolleaguesbutagreedtogoawayandlookatthispossibility.Hestatedthatthismightdelaymatterssomewhat.Comments:LeestatedthatatPEtherewasfundingthatthecouncilwasabletoapplyforwhichisnotavailablehere.GavinstatedthatthelandatKembhillParkisprivatelyowned.JimcounteredthisbystatingthathehastheofficialdocumentationfromtheLandRegistrywhichstatesthatownershipiswiththeCouncil(thisisavailableforviewing).Itwasthenarguedthatinthiscasetheprotectionwasforprivateproperty.KenstatedthatPortElphinstoneisthesameasthehousesthereareprivateproperties.PaulHendyraisedaconcernthattheKembhillParkbundmaynotberobustenoughtowithstandwaterpressurefromoneside.InJanuarywaterflowedaroundbothsidesandpressurewouldhavebeenequalised.Gavinstatedthatthebundiswellstabilisedbutthattheconstructiondetailsareunknown.Answer:GavinsaidthatSEPAneedtogivetheirblessingtoanearthbundandseemedtoagreethathemightgiveanearthbundconsideration.

2. ReportfromScottishWater–DianeBurgess,KevinMuirandBenBickleQuestion:KenaskedScottishwateriftheyhaveconsideredbuildingaflooddefencealongtheriversideperimeteroftheSewageWorks.Answer:BenBicklerespondedthatthishasnotbeenconsideredasitnotbethemosteffectiveplacetobuildabarrierandothersagreed.Thisideawasthereforediscounted.Question:KenaskedifthereisalegalresponsibilityonScottishWatertoprotectprivateproperties.Answer:Benstatedthattheirlegalpeoplesaythattheyhavenolegalresponsibilitytobuildabarriertoprotecthousingfromoutflowfromtheirplantduringflooding.Theironlyresponsibilitywasforthesafeoperationofthesewersystemandpipeworktoandfromtheplant.

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Kenstatedthathehasane-mailfromthelocalMSPwhichseemstocontradictthisstatementbasedonameetingwhichAlexanderBurnetthadhadwiththeCEOofSEPAthepreviousday.Answer:Benstatedthathewouldliketoobtainmoreinformationonthisissuesothathecangiveitfurtherconsideration.Action:BentoinvestigateandreportbackQuestion:Kenasked“WasrawsewagewashedoutoftheSWplantintoKPhouses?Answer:Bensaidthat–therewasnoevidenceoftheseweragesystemflooding–e.g.comingupthroughtoiletsandshowerpansetc.Comments:Jimstatedthathistoiletcouldnotflush.Kevinstatedthatifitdidnotoverflowthenthisisclassifiedaslossofservicenotafloodingincident.JohnstatedthatsomepeopleonupstreamsideofKembhillParkhadthetoiletovertoppedwithwater.DianesaidthatpeoplecanreportsewagefloodingincidentstoSWontheirhelpline.KevinsuggestedthatKPFGshouldcollectevidenceofanypropertieswheretheseweragesystemcauseddischargeintopeopleshousesandtoreporttoSWon0800078078Kevinsaidthateachcallisrecordedasaseparateincidentandthatmorecallsincreasetheeffectivenessofthemodelswhichareusedtomonitorhowtheirsystemisworking.Question:Kenaskedifwecouldhaveleafletswhichgiveadvicetopeopleonwhattodoinrelationtosewageissues.Action:Dianeagreedtosupplythesefactsheets.ActionKPFG:Needtogetdetailsofhouseswheretherewassewerflooding,houseswheresewagefloodedoverthetoiletbowls.Kevinwillcometosurvey–photosofevidencewillalsobeuseful.Forfutureweneedtoreportwheresewerfloodingtakesplace.Action

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WeneedtotestScottishWater’spositionaboutlegalresponsibilitywheresewageworksareclosetohouses.Thisisinthecontextofthee-mailfromourMSP.Action:KevintotalktotheSWwastewaterteamtoconfirmiftherewasaflowofsewagefromtheSWplanttotheKPhouses.Bensaidthereisanoverflowconcernaboutthetanksatthissiteandworkisongoingtoresolvethisproblem.KevinsaidhehadlookedatthetitledeedsfortheSWplantandhecannotidentifyanyinformationthatthesitewasexpandedatanytimeandthatthebundwasatonetimeanylongerthanitisnow.Healsodrewattentiontothefactthatatreewhichhadbeenfelledearlierthisyearwaslocatedinadirectlinefromtheendofthebundgoingtowardsthefenceattheplantandthatnotreeswerelocatedontopofthebund.Thissuggeststhatthebundstoppedwhereitdoestodayanddidnotcontinueanyfurther.Question:Kenaskedaboutwhethertherewasanyrawsewageescapefromthesewageworksfromtheoutletpipeintotheriver.Action:KevinsaidhewouldlookintothisandmeetthedrainageteamatSWworkoutwhethersewageescapedinsideoroutsidetheplant.Bensaidthatthismatterwillbefullyinvestigatedandreportedback.Actionsummary:LeeandGavintotalktotheCouncilplanningdepartmentandSEPAtoseeiftheycanputaPElikebundinplaceona“temporary”basisuntilsuchtimeasafullfloodriskstudycanbecarriedout.GavinsaidthathewasstillverykeentogoaheadwiththeWatergatebarrierandnottoconsideratemporaryearthbundatthistimebutagreedtolookatthepossibility.Question:Taraaskedifafullfloodriskstudycouldbebroughtforward?Answer:GavinstatedthiscannothappenastheydonothavetheresourcesatthistimeastheyarefullycommittedonotherfloodpreventionmeasureselsewhereinAberdeenshireanditthatitwouldhavetobepartofthenextfloodpreventionplanningcycle.Question:Kenasked“whatguaranteeistherethatwecangetworkdoneinthenextplanningcycle?”Answer:Gavinsaidthathethinksthisislikelytohappen.Question:AlistairGillreturnedtotheearlierdiscussionabouttheWatergatesolution.Hestatedthatifaclear4metrewidecorridorfortheWatergateisneededwillsometreeshavetobefelledtoprovidethis?Answer:Gavinindicatedresistancetothisandsaidthattheywouldbeabletodeploythedeviceinthepositionindicatedontheirplan.

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Asthetimewaslateandfulldiscussionwasfelttohavetakenplace,Kendrewthediscussiontoaclose.HedidhoweveraskforoneitemtobediscussedwhichinvolvedtheallocationofvisitorliststocommitteemembersaspartofarecruitmentdrivetoencouragemoreresidentstojoinKPFG.Afterdiscussionlistswereallocated.Itwasagreedtocarryforwardtheremainingagendaitemstothenextmeeting.