FOI request (FOIR-592530092)

Monitoring of Surface Water drainage on construction sites in the Old Roar Gill catchment area

Requested Tue 05 March 2024
Responded Tue 23 April 2024

There are concerns about the potential effects of increased surface water run offs and water pollution from the construction sites in the Old Roar Gill and Hollington stream catchment areas including Holmhurst St Mary, 777 The Ridge, Harrow Lane playing fields, and the Ashdown House site.

These concerns were raised in a question by a member of the public at full council on the 22/11/2023. In a supplementary question it was asked: 'Is HBC going to visit these sites around Harrow Lane to ensure that each developer follows the water drainage plans put in place and make sure that all the construction rules are followed?'

Assurances were given by the Cabinet member, Councillor Rogers, that the sites would be monitored 'how often they are going to make these visits I don't know . . . I'm happy to take this back and discuss with my colleagues on planning and make sure they are making regular trips to make sure everything is in order'.

Please provide under EIR the following information:

1. The date of Councillor Rogers' discussions with planning on this matter.

2. Any correspondence, documents, and so on concerning Councillor Rogers' discussions with planning on this matter.

3. Any updates provided to the questioner following these discussions.

4. Details of monitoring measures that have taken place to ensure the developments are conforming with the plans and regulations on drainage and surface water run offs.

5. Details of subsequent planning site visits to the sites in questions including date of visit, site visit notes, any issues found and any supporting correspondence and documents in any form.

6. Details of any issues found and actions imposed by HBC and taken by the developers to ensure compliance with the plans and regulations on drainage and surface water run offs.

Response

1. Information not held.

2. Information not held.

3. Information not held.

4. This part of your request should be referred to East Sussex County Council's Flood Management Team:

https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk

5. Request refused.

6. Request refused.

NOTICE OF REFUSAL

Under the Environmental Information Regulations, the information you have requested relating to questions 5 and 6 is being refused under Exception 12(5)(b) 'The course of justice and inquiries'. The course of justice has a wide meaning which includes material covered by Law enforcement, investigations and proceedings.

This exception are subject to a Public Interest Test. This means that a public authority can refuse to disclose information under these exceptions if in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exception outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Factors for disclosure:

a) Transparency and accountability.

Factors against disclosure:

a) Protecting information that has been acquired during investigations as live cases.

b) Correspondence contains confidential information.

c) The significance and sensitivity of the information.

d) Consideration of options and the exchange of views within a 'safe space'.

e) Maintaining the confidentiality of discussions in the interest of good governance and the perceived threat to candour and boldness in the giving of advice.