The Horncastle Flood Relief scheme - Find a freedom of information request

1) Provide the documents relating to the Hydraulic Model used for the Horncastle Flood Relief scheme completed for the river Bain.

2) Confirm that this model took account of the flood risk of the River Waring and Thunkers Drain.

3) Provide information as how the runoff from the surrounding area down flow of the Bain from the dam to Horncastle was taken into account.

4) Why did the opening of the sluice gate near the Horncastle Swimming Pool did not activate in due time

5) Why have the Local Planning Authorities allowed development on designated flood plains.

6) There is clear evidence that the maintenance of drainage runs, road gullies, and flood mechanical procedures have also not been maintained or checked.

7) Why were warnings made days before the flooding event not acted upon and systems checked.

8) Confirm what rating this event was, 1 in 100 year storm?

9) As the Horncastle Flood alleviation scheme, funded by public money and signed off by LCC and ELDC has failed what compensation are they and the Environment Agency going to provide especially for Businesses?

10) The Town Council pay for the annual maintenance of the Dam area is this money going to be refunded and future maintenance paid by the LCC/EA in future.

I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1) This information will be held by the Environment Agency as lead authority for the Horncastle Flood Alleviation scheme

2) Please see note as above

3) Please see note as above

4) The Environment Agency have committed to a full and thorough review of the operation of the Horncastle Flood Relief scheme, therefore no detail is available until such time the review has taken place. Lincolnshire County Council in its role as Lead Local Flood Authority will be undertaking a Section 19 investigation (under the Flood and Water Management Act) to determine the causation and/or contributing factors that led to flooding in Horncastle following Storm Babet (as it will do for all affected locations across the county). As part of that investigation it will support Environment Agency colleagues with the review of how the Horncastle Flood relief scheme functioned during the storm event.

5) East Lindsey District Council are the Local Planning Authority so unable to make comment on this point.

6) As part of the Section 19 investigation process identified above, the maintenance and condition of drainage runs, road gullies and any relevant flood risk assets will be taking into consideration

7) Any information or action based on flood warnings received will form part of the review by the Environment Agency as well as all risk management authority partners and will be considered during the wider review of the response across Lincolnshire to the effects caused by Storm Babet

8) This will not be known until the investigation has taken place and rainfall and river level data has been analysed, but will form part of the Section 19 report.

9) No factual evidence of any failings have been made available to Lincolnshire County Council. Until the review and investigation has taken place, by both the Environment Agency, and LCC in its role as LLFA it is not appropriate to speculate and therefore unable to make any further comment at this stage.

10) Please see response to point 9 above