Environment Agency starts work in spring on Severn Stoke flood scheme

  • The village has flooded several times in recent years including during storms in February
  • Works will also protect nearby A38, an important trunk road for the area

The Environment Agency is preparing to begin work on a £1.8 million flood embankment scheme. It will protect homes and businesses in the historical Worcestershire village of Severn Stoke.

The flood mitigation embankment scheme will provide protection from the devastating impact of flooding to 18 homes and businesses. This includes the Grade II listed, 14th century St Deny’s Church, the 500-year-old Rose and Crown pub and the village hall.

The scheme is being developed in partnership with Worcester County Council and Malvern Hills District Council. It will also protect the nearby A38, preventing disruption to the busy trunk road.

Planning permission for the scheme has now been granted and materials are being moved onto site where they will be stored over the winter before work starts in the spring.  The first delivery will see reused material from the southern link road in Worcester that would otherwise have gone to landfill.

Soil being delivered to Severn Stoke to be used for a flood embankment

The work will also include environmental enhancements including a tree replacement scheme. This will increase both the number and diversity of tree species. It will also incorporate a pollinator corridor along the ‘dry side’ of the embankment and place bird and bat boxes throughout the scheme area.

Marc Lidderth, Environment Agency place manager for Shropshire and Worcestershire, said:

The community of Severn Stoke has suffered from significant flooding from the River Severn, most notably in 2007, 2012, February 2020 and again this year. This scheme is part of the Environment Agency’s investment in flood protection for the area and we are pleased to be able to begin work on it in early 2023.

David Harrison, portfolio holder for Planning, Infrastructure and Flooding at Malvern Hills District Council, said:

We are very pleased at the progress of the Severn Stoke flood alleviation scheme which has come a long way since it was brought to a public meeting at Severn Stoke Parish Hall in 2014.

We are proud to support this project, as well as to assist with funding supplied from the council’s Priority Reserve Fund. Thanks to the ongoing effort of everyone involved, the project will enter the next stage. It will see the material moved to the village over the next few weeks ready for the construction of the flood embankment next year. This an important next step in protecting the village and its community.

The Environment Agency provides a flood warning service for Severn Stoke. Please contact the 24-hour Floodline service on 0345 988 1188 for any ongoing flood related queries or advice. Sign up for flood warnings here.

The best way to protect yourself from flooding is to know what to do in advance. Download and save a simple Prepare, Act, Survive plan so you’ll know what to do when there’s a flood warning in your area.

Across the country, the Environment Agency has led projects to deliver flood schemes that see 314,000 homes better protected since 2015. Yet the Environment Agency is delivering more. Earlier this year the Government announced a record £5.2 billion investment in flood and coastal defences to build around 2,000 new flood and coastal defences and better protect 336,000 properties by 2027.

Make sure you are prepared for flooding by following these tips:

  • Prepare a bag that includes medical and insurance documents
  • Check the latest flood situation online
  • Know how to turn off your gas, electricity and water
  • Check your insurance to make sure you are covered for flood damage. If you rent your home, it is your responsibility to have insurance for your belongings
  • If you are flooded, call 999 if in immediate danger and follow advice from emergency services


Operating on a ‘surrendered’ licence

Press release

In a recent public inquiry before Deputy Traffic Commissioner Nick Denton, Roger Arnold lost both his good repute and operators’ licence.

In a recent public inquiry before Deputy Traffic Commissioner Nick Denton, Roger Arnold trading as R A International lost both his good repute and his operators’ licence. He held a sole trader goods vehicle standard international operator licence for five vehicles and six trailers, granted in 2002. Mr Richard Arnold was the named transport manager for the company.

In May 2022, a vehicle specified on Roger Arnold’s licence had been stopped by DVSA at the roadside on 29 September 2021. It was displaying a disc in the name of Midland Bulk Services Ltd. This company’s licence had been surrendered by its liquidators in June 2021, after it had entered liquidation in April 2021. The vehicle was also being driven by Ryan Kembery, a former director of Midland Bulk Services Ltd until shortly before it had entered liquidation. The registered keeper of vehicle was Ryan Kembery.

Mr Kembery was now the sole director of Midlands Aggregates Ltd, a company which does not hold an operator’s licence. the analogue tachograph charts in Mr Kembery’s possession showed that he was the sole and regular driver of the vehicle.

The commissioner had no hesitation in finding that Roger Arnold has been lending his licence to Ryan Kembery. The contract between them for transport services stated that Mr Kembery must provide his own vehicle and would operate autonomously from Mr Arnold. Mr Arnold clearly had no oversight of Mr Kembery’s drivers’ hours as Mr Kembery was not handing charts into him.

The deputy commissioner said “Lending an operator licence to someone who does not have one is a very serious issue. It is an attempt to circumvent the entire operator licensing system. By his actions Roger Arnold has facilitated the operation of goods vehicles by a person with no right to do so. It is beyond my understanding how an operator could behave so dishonestly and so disgracefully.”

The transport manager also lost his repute indefinitely as he must either have conspired with the licence holder or been so remote that he did not realise it was happening.

The decision can be found here.

Published 10 October 2022



Statement: 2022 elections in Lesotho

World news story

Initial statement of the United Kingdom Observer Mission for 2022 elections in the Kingdom of Lesotho.

The United Kingdom commends the conduct of the general election held in the Kingdom of Lesotho. Observers from the United Kingdom identified a peaceful and well-managed election along with a small number of concerns relating to the confusion surrounding the electoral roll.

The United Kingdom Observer Mission focused on 20 polling stations across 3 districts of Lesotho:

The Mission found calm and peaceful proceedings at all the polling stations it visited throughout the day of the elections. The voting process was lengthy at times with some voters having to wait multiple hours to cast their vote, but this did not result in any incidents during observation.

The voting process was observed as transparent with processes and procedures as outlined in the constitution of the Kingdom of Lesotho followed at the polling stations observed by the Mission.

There were concerns raised with a small number of cases with confusion for individual names on the electoral roll. The Mission noted the existence of such cases, which may have led to disenfranchisement of some voters.

The Mission noted enthusiasm amongst those voting for participating in democracy but also noted the level of turnout at some polling stations, which could benefit from greater engagement in civic education for future elections.

The United Kingdom Observer Mission would like to thank all those involved in the process of supporting these elections, including the Independent Electoral Commission, members of civil society organisations, and fellow national and international observers.

Published 10 October 2022



Angler catches £389 penalty while fishing in Shropshire

David Norman, 36, had a rod licence to fish using up to 2 rods. But he received a penalty of £389 for fishing without the correct licence to cover the number of rods he was fishing with at Marchamley Pool on 21 May.

The case was brought by the Environment Agency to Northampton Magistrates Court on Monday 26 September. The penalty of £389 includes a fine of £220, costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £34.

Nichola Tomlinson, Fisheries Enforcement Team Leader at the Environment Agency, said:

David Norman has been rightly punished for fishing illegally in Hodnet, Shropshire in May this year. This case shows how seriously the courts take these offences and we hope the high penalty will act as a deterrent to any angler who is thinking of fishing without a licence.

Fishing illegally can incur a fine of up to £2,500 and offenders can also have their fishing equipment seized. We inspect rod licences 24/7, to check on cases of illegal fishing.

Money raised from fishing licence sales is used to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries, benefitting anglers and, for those caught cheating the system, we will always prosecute.

Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or stillwater needs a valid licence to fish. A 1-day licence costs from just £6, and an annual licence costs from just £30 (concessions available). Junior licences are free for 13 to 16-year-olds. Licences are available from www.gov.uk/get-a-fishing-licence or by calling the Environment Agency on 0344 800 5386 between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.

The Environment Agency carries out enforcement work all year round and is supported by partners including the police and the Angling Trust. Fisheries enforcement work is intelligence-led, targeting known hot-spots and where illegal fishing is reported.

Anyone with information about illegal fishing activities can contact the Environment Agency incident hotline 24/7 on 0800 807060 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Background

David Norman was charged with the following offence:

On 21 May 2022 at Marchamley Pool, Hodnet, in a place where fishing is regulated, fished for freshwater fish or eels by means of an unlicensed fishing instrument, namely rod and line. Contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.

He was fishing with 3 rods with only a 2 rod licence; a 3 rod licence is available to purchase.



Animal medicine seizure notice: Products shipped from Kenya stopped at Heathrow Airport.

News story

Details of a seizure notice served for a medicinal product imported along with an animal.

The following veterinary medicines were imported with an animal into Heathrow Airport.

They were identified by an Animal Health Officer and the products were subsequently seized by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. The parcel contained:

  • 1 envelope labelled “Gabix” containing 13 capsules
  • 1 envelope labelled “Galliprant” containing broken tablets

These products were intended for use in a dog and are not authorised veterinary medicines in the UK and had not been prescribed by a UK vet for use in the animal.

The medicines were seized under Regulation 25 (Importation of unauthorised veterinary medicinal products) of the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013.

Published 10 October 2022