Decision details

Executive considered a detailed report, introduced by Councillor Munro, Portfolio Holder for Growth.

The Business Growth Manager presented the report which provided an update to Members on the findings of the drainage team whilst completing maintenance to the critical drains at Pleasley Vale Business Park.  The report sought Executive’s approval for the direct award of a contract to deliver a part of the Phase 2 flood defence works specifically focusing on desilting of the culverts, and to authorise the necessary additional funding to undertake repairs to the culvert if it were identified as urgent whilst the contractor was on site.

Following a report to Council in December 2024 where Members had approved

commencement of Phase 1 of the flood defence works at Pleasley Vale, work had commenced in April 2025.  Survey and maintenance inspections of the drains had identified a risk of discharge to the river Meden from the foul drains and services for toilets presenting this type of risk were removed from usage.

Further surveys showed a damaged drain which ran via an overflow culvert under Mill 1, and also identified a significant accumulation of silt in the overflow, which was impeding water flow from Mill Pond 1 and drainage efficiency within the system.

Two possible solutions were identified and desilting the culverts was found to be the preferred solution.  This was because installing a new drain would be highly intrusive leading to the rear of Mill 1 being inaccessible for a prolonged period, causing significant disruption and impact for tenants, and likely to be at a much higher cost for the works to complete the install.  The culverts were currently around 25% blocked in some places and worse in others.  Therefore, increasing capacity of water flow rate through the culverts would provide an immediate benefit for flood protection ensuring improved resilience against potential flooding plus reduce the risk to the insurance reserve if works were completed before the 2025-26 winter months.

Special suppliers P & D Environmental and IDS had both provided quotes for the work with IDS coming in lower.  However, P & D Environmental were already mobilised onsite as principal contractor and under CDM regulations there could only be one principal contractor on site at any one time.  This meant that P & D Environmental would charge a contract management fee to manage IDS increasing the overall cost of IDS’s proposal.

An Environment Agency (EA) permit was also required for any work on a water course, including maintenance to culverts, to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and protect water quality.  A permit was already in place for Phase 1 of the flood defence works and culvert clearance could be undertaken as an EA maintenance exemption.  The exemption had already been approved and was valid for a year from 15^th June 2025.  However, the work needed to be completed by the end of September 2025 due to raised water levels during the winter months as it became unsafe to complete work during this time.

The Business Growth Manager noted that the sum quoted was for the silt to be

removed off site if it were not contaminated and requested an additional recommendation that delegated authority be given to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer, to approve an additional budget of £180k to remove the silt if it were found to be contaminated.

In response to a Member’s question, the Business Growth Manager advised that the Go Active Leisure facilities at Pleasley Vale were not affected by this report.

Moved by Councillor Tom Munro and seconded by Councillor Rob Hiney-Saunders

RESOLVED that: 1) in line with the previously agreed recommendations as set out in paragraph 1.2. of the report works for the desilting of the culvert be approved,

2)    delegated authority be given to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer, to approve an additional budget of an estimated £187,000 to remove the silt if it were found to be contaminated,

3)    direct award of the works contract to the company currently working on site (P&D Environmental) at the value as stated in the report, which includes the provisional sum for removal of the silt offsite, be approved,

4)    delegated authority is given to the Section 151 Officer to authorise the necessary additional funding to undertake repairs to the culvert, if identified as needing to be done urgently, whilst the contractor is on site.

Reasons for Recommendation

Installing a new drain would be highly intrusive, leading to the rear of Mill 1 being inaccessible for a prolonged period, causing significant inconvenience and impact for tenants.  It is likely to be more costly to the Council, if the fall levels permit this option to be considered.

In addition, the desilting was identified as part of the Phase 2 Flood Defence Works which is intended to mitigate the site against future flood risk.  The culverts are currently around 25% blocked in some places and worse in others.  Therefore, increasing capacity of water flow rate through the culverts will provide an immediate benefit for flood protection ensuring improved resilience against potential flooding, plus will reduce risk to the insurance reserve if works completed before the 2025-26 winter months.

Furthermore, by working within the existing structure to carry out the necessary repairs, expense of redirecting the drain can be avoided, ensuring a more cost-effective solution.

Completing the work while the EA permit and maintenance exemption are in place will lessen the impact on tenants and avoid lengthy delays in reinstating toilet facilities.

Prompt completion of the works will help mitigate the risk of pollution to the River Meden.

When taking into consideration subsequent CDM and contract management costs into consideration, the overall expenditure is comparable.  Furthermore, the methodology outline in P & D’s proposal is considered to carry less risk.

Alternative Options and Reasons for Rejection

Complete a full procurement exercise to appoint a contractor to desilt the culverts has been discounted due to:

Work needs to be completed with urgency to ensure it can be completed within in the summer months in accordance with the EA permit and maintenance exemption period and mitigate risk of any enforcement action.

To alleviate ongoing inconvenience to tenants and reinstate toilet facilities as soon as possible with the minimum impact on their day-to-day operations.

To minimise the risk to the £1million insurance reserve set aside to cover the liabilities of a flood event on site at Pleasley Vale.