This award recognises the partnership way of working achieving multiple benefits to the town and the people of Rugeley.

Before the £5.2 million scheme was completed, the risk of flooding to the town hampered further development and regeneration. Now, development can go ahead, and planning applications which will see new jobs created have already been approved.

Other benefits include creating space for more sports pitches and making sure the flood defences were designed to allow HGVs bringing the popular Royal Charter Fair to the town could still access the site.

Environmental benefits are significant too. Measures were put in place to sustain and enhance a healthy population of endangered native white-claw crayfish and an eel pass has been installed to help eels populate the brook. A collapsed footbridge that is part of the Cannock Chase Heritage Trail has also been re-built reconnecting a popular footpath.

Will Groves, a flood risk specialist with the Environment Agency said:

It’s wonderful to see the Rugeley scheme recognised by this prestigious award, this scheme really involved the local community and many partners. We’re pleased to already see regeneration and growth coming to the town now it’s better protected from the risk of flooding.

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership chairman David Frost CBE said:

I’m delighted that this impressive project is now an award winner. The Rising Brook scheme is very good news for Rugeley, protecting town centre homes and businesses from flooding and making the town a better place to live, work and visit.

It means that businesses will have a secure foundation when they make plans to expand, without the risk of their hard work literally being washed away. It is also creating an attractive green space for local people to enjoy.

Vij Randeniya, Chairman of the Trent Regional Flood & Coastal Committee (RFCC), said:

This is great testimony to everyone involved in the Rugeley scheme, an accolade much deserved for collective effort and commitment. Credit also to the Trent RFCC which continues to focus on the importance of protecting homes and ultimately people and their livelihoods from flood risk.

Cllr Gordon Alcott, Economic Development and Planning Portfolio Leader for Cannock Chase Council said:

We are delighted that the Rugeley flood scheme has won this prestigious award. It recognises the importance of partnership working to deliver a much needed scheme which will protect homes and businesses for many years to come. The scheme also unlocks potential development opportunities which were previously constrained by the flood risk to be brought forward in Rugeley.

The scheme was delivered by the Environment Agency in partnership with Cannock Chase District Council, the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Rugeley Town Council, Staffordshire County Council and the Trent Regional Flood & Coastal Committee.

Two companies have agreed to pay nearly £30,000 to a Norfolk charity after admitting their respective roles in a river pollution incident.

The pollution stemmed from rotting potatoes being stored in a warehouse rented by Lamb Weston/Meijer UK Ltd on land owned by Ralph Harrison & Co Ltd at Little Snoring Airfield, Norfolk.

As the potatoes decomposed they released liquid that entered the surface water drains at the site and subsequently passed into a tributary of the River Stiffkey at Little Snoring, near Fakenham, Norfolk.

The incident was reported to the Environment Agency in November 2015 and investigations were undertaken.

Environment Agency officers found that the liquid from the decomposing potatoes contained nutrients which affected a tributary of the River Stiffkey, reducing the dissolved oxygen in the water. This resulted in the death of fish and invertebrates in a 1km stretch of water.

It was found that Ralph Harrison & Co Ltd’s negligence had led to the pollution.

No written lease agreement was in place between the parties and no risk assessment had been prepared to set out what action would be taken to prevent the escape of polluting liquid.

Having taken into account the circumstances of the case, in particular the localised nature of the environmental harm, the action taken to prevent any further occurrences and the companies’ lack of previous convictions, the Environment Agency decided that in this instance, it would be appropriate to deal with the matter through Enforcement Undertakings (EU’s).

Lamb Weston offered to donate £23,100 to the Norfolk Rivers Trust for use in its projects around the River Stiffkey, while Ralph Harrison Co Ltd offered to donate £5,000 to the same charity.

Both companies agreed to take action to prevent such an incident happening again.

Lamb Weston employed a consultant to carry out an ecological survey, created a template emergency action plan, improved staff training and employed a new storage manager to be responsible for environmental management. It also improved potato storage processes and temperature systems and reimbursed Ralph Harrison & CO Ltd’s clean-up costs of £26,476.

Ralph Harrison & Co Ltd dredged the watercourse to remove remaining pollution and installed new valve and pump systems at the site to prevent any future incidents.

The companies now also have a written lease agreement, which had not previously been in place.
Marcus Sibley, Norfolk Environment Manager said:

Enforcement undertakings allow those who commit offences to restore the environment and to take steps to prevent a recurrence.

When appropriate, they allow a quicker resolution than a prosecution and help offenders who are prepared to take responsibility for their actions to put things right voluntarily working with their local communities.

The EU was offered in relation to an offence of pollution under Regulation 38 of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010.

The EU was completed in February.

Two companies have agreed to pay nearly £30,000 to a Norfolk charity after admitting their respective roles in a river pollution incident.

The pollution stemmed from rotting potatoes being stored in a warehouse rented by Lamb Weston/Meijer UK Ltd on land owned by Ralph Harrison & Co Ltd at Little Snoring Airfield, Norfolk.

As the potatoes decomposed they released liquid that entered the surface water drains at the site and subsequently passed into a tributary of the River Stiffkey at Little Snoring, near Fakenham, Norfolk.

The incident was reported to the Environment Agency in November 2015 and investigations were undertaken.

Environment Agency officers found that the liquid from the decomposing potatoes contained nutrients which affected a tributary of the River Stiffkey, reducing the dissolved oxygen in the water. This resulted in the death of fish and invertebrates in a 1km stretch of water.

It was found that Ralph Harrison & Co Ltd’s negligence had led to the pollution.

No written lease agreement was in place between the parties and no risk assessment had been prepared to set out what action would be taken to prevent the escape of polluting liquid.

Having taken into account the circumstances of the case, in particular the localised nature of the environmental harm, the action taken to prevent any further occurrences and the companies’ lack of previous convictions, the Environment Agency decided that in this instance, it would be appropriate to deal with the matter through Enforcement Undertakings (EU’s).

Lamb Weston offered to donate £23,100 to the Norfolk Rivers Trust for use in its projects around the River Stiffkey, while Ralph Harrison Co Ltd offered to donate £5,000 to the same charity.

Both companies agreed to take action to prevent such an incident happening again.

Lamb Weston employed a consultant to carry out an ecological survey, created a template emergency action plan, improved staff training and employed a new storage manager to be responsible for environmental management. It also improved potato storage processes and temperature systems and reimbursed Ralph Harrison & CO Ltd’s clean-up costs of £26,476.

Ralph Harrison & Co Ltd dredged the watercourse to remove remaining pollution and installed new valve and pump systems at the site to prevent any future incidents.

The companies now also have a written lease agreement, which had not previously been in place.
Marcus Sibley, Norfolk Environment Manager said:

Enforcement undertakings allow those who commit offences to restore the environment and to take steps to prevent a recurrence.

When appropriate, they allow a quicker resolution than a prosecution and help offenders who are prepared to take responsibility for their actions to put things right voluntarily working with their local communities.

The EU was offered in relation to an offence of pollution under Regulation 38 of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010.

The EU was completed in February.

On 11 May 2018, the Weymouth and Portland Borough Council made a formal application to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) under section 14 of the Harbours Act 1964 for a Harbour Revision Order (HRO).

The proposed HRO would consolidate and modernise existing local statutory harbour legislation and confer further modernised powers on the Council. In particular, the HRO would confer powers on the Council to give general directions to vessels using Weymouth Harbour, together with powers by the harbour master appointed by the council to give special directions.

These powers are required to support the effective management of the vessels using Weymouth Harbour, as recommended in the Port Marine Safety Code. In addition the HRO would clearly define the harbour limits.

The application is undergoing a 42 day public consultation, starting on 21 May 2018. The deadline for submitting comments is 02 July 2018. For further information on the consultation process, please review the advertisement notice.

If you would like to make a representation please do so in writing via the harbourorders@marinemanagement.org.uk inbox. Representations should quote reference HRO/2018/00002.

The Environment Agency publish permits that they issue under the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED).

This decision includes the permit and decision document for:

• Operator name: Perenco UK Limited
• Installation name: Dimlington Gas Terminal
• Permit number: EPR/PP3237CR/V005