Laxey Flooding

Summary

The requester asked for a presentation and minutes from a public meeting regarding the Laxey flooding; the authority provided the presentation but confirmed they do not hold the minutes, which are being finalized by other departments.

Key Facts

• Manx Utilities Authority provided the presentation from the Laxey Pavilion public meeting held on 10 October 2019.
• The authority does not hold the minutes for the meeting, noting they are being agreed upon by the Department of Infrastructure and Garff Commissioners.
• The flooding event was triggered by heavy rainfall and a highway wall collapse on 1 October 2019.
• An independent external review of the incident was announced by the Chief Minister.
• Laxey was assessed as risk area 12 but assigned overall priority 5 on the list of flood defence schemes.

Data Disclosed

• 10 October 2019
• 15 November 2019
• 9 December 2019
• 30th September
• 1st October
• 1100hrs
• 2200hrs
• 0600hrs
• 0700hrs
• 0840hrs
• 0849hrs
• 1355hrs
• 1530hrs
• 7 Fire Engines
• 10 Police Officers
• 120 tote bags of sand
• 50 pallets of sandbags
• 2016
• risk area 12
• priority 5
• 24 flood defence schemes
• 42 items of work
• February 2019
• 1052261
• 631501

Original Request

Good Afternoon, 2 requests please 1) Please can you share the presentation of your chair at the public meeting held at the Laxey Pavilion in the aftermath of the flooding. 2) Can you also share the minutes from this meeting. Thank you

Data Tables (9)

Full Response Text

Laxey Flooding 1st October 2019 Introduction What happened? What has been done already? What are we doing next? What was done? What could have been done better? 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 What happened? 30th September Yellow weather warning issued 1100hrs Heaviest rain from 2200hrs 1st October Heaviest rain from 0600hrs Significant flooding of Glen Road from work site at Woollen Mills from c. 0700hrs Major flooding following collapse of highway wall at c. 0840hrs Major incident declared 0849hrs High tide 1355hrs Major incident closed 1530hrs 10 11 Emergency response Local Community 7 Fire Engines 10 Police Officers Ambulance Service and Volunteers Rescue Helicopter Coastguard Teams Civil Defence Volunteers RNLI volunteers DOI staff MUA staff Garff Commissioners 12 Immediate causes Heavy intense rainfall Previous wet weather Culverts, streams and drains overwhelmed causing surface water flooding in many locations Floodwater spilled through worksite at the Woollen Mills Debris in catchment area brought downriver Debris caught on weir caused river to rise Breach by the river of the highway wall caused extensive flooding of Glen Road 13 14 What has been done MER weir cleared and reduced Temporary flood wall installed 120 tote bags of sand placed 50 pallets of sandbags delivered Mini digger, driver and skips Harbour stone clearance DEFA/MUA/ DOI chainsaw teams deployed Waterfall culvert made good and redesigned Highway wall redesigned Community liaison officer assigned 15 What is being done next Specialist report into immediate actions Highway wall construction next week 2 culverts replaced by end of 2019 New legislation by end of 2019 Long term report into catchment area management Independent, external review announced by the Chief Minister Establish a clear pathway for reporting river debris Complete review of operational procedures dealing with river clearance. 16 17 What was done Flood management strategy published 2016 18 Assessment of flood Risk 19 20 What was done Flood management strategy published 2016 Laxey was assessed as risk area 12 but assigned overall priority 5 on the prioritised list of 24 flood defence schemes New bridge installed MUA records show 42 items of work in the river in the last 5 years JBA Laxey Flood Modelling report produced February 2019 Action plan based on this information to be accelerated. 21 Areas for independent review Standards of maintenance: Rivers Roads Railway Catchment Maintenance resourcing Responding to public concerns Progress with the 2016 report Long term improvements Insurance concerns Views of the community 22 Community officer PC Neil Hastie 631501 Laxeyfloodreview@gov.im 23

Manx Utilities PO Box 177, Douglas Isle of Man, IM99 1PS

e: enquiries@manxutilities.im t: 01624 687687 www.manxutilities.im

Our ref: 1052261 9 December 2019

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 15 November 2019 and which states:

"Good Afternoon, 2 requests please 1) Please can you share the presentation of your chair at the public meeting held at the Laxey Pavilion in the aftermath of the flooding. 2) Can you also share the minutes from this meeting. Thank you"

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Manx Utilities does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested.
1) Find attached a copy the presentation that we do hold. 2) We do not have these minutes. However to provide assistance, we can confirm that minutes/notes of the public meeting held at Laxey Pavilion on 10 October 2019 were taken. Manx Utilities understands that they are in the process of being agreed between the Department of Infrastructure and Garff Commissioners, and are likely to be made publically available in due course. Please quote the reference number 1052261 in any future communications.

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I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely