'Disappointment' at flood question no-show

A week before Argyll and Bute Council meetings, officers’ reports for councillors to note or vote are published on the council’s website. And so it was ahead of the Oban, Lorn and the Isles (OLI) Area Committee on Wednesday September 11, which showed a Oban Flooding Update on the agenda.

It said a new control box for the pumps at Lochavullin car park is due to be installed, housed by a concrete plinth and railings already built. The report adds: "We are currently working on researching and finding a specialist consultant to deal with invasive species around the burn, and are liaising with SEPA with the view to source a contractor to come and remove debris and foreign objects from the burn."

Six days before the meeting, Alison Rennie, an Oban community councillor and environmental scientist, had submitted three questions relating to the Oban flooding report to be answered on the day. 

In public question time, Ms Rennie said: "According to the current Flood Risk Management Plan, the estimated annual average cost of flooding in Oban is £1.8m (2019 figure), affecting approx. 320 residential and 310 non-residential properties. Today’s report on flooding is a welcome step forward but raises a number of questions.

"As noted in the June 2024 ED&I (Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee) report, a comprehensive study was undertaken on the council’s behalf in 2019.

"That report highlighted the need to take urgent action over Japanese Knotweed and other obstructions in the Black Lynn in addition to restoring full functioning of the pumps in the Lochavullin Car Park.

"Whilst today’s report states that a consultant is currently being sought to deal with invasive species, what actions have been undertaken in the intervening five years to address the issue of clearing the Black Lynn of Japanese Knotweed and other obstructions, and are you confident that this necessarily lengthy process will begin this year?

"The building of the plinth for the control panel, etc., is also welcome but can we be told when the Lochavullin pump system is expected to be fully operational once again?

"The 2019 study also identified a ’preferred option’ for a flood protection scheme for Oban and this is reported in the current Flood Risk Management Plan.

"What actions have been undertaken, to date, to develop the detailed design of the Oban Flood Protection Scheme and what are the next steps? (Members should note that the Campbeltown scheme has taken 16 years, to date, since endorsement by the relevant local area committee.)"

Thanking Ms Rennie for her "comprehensive" question, OLI Area Committee chairperson, Oban North and Lorn SNP Councillor Julie McKenzie said: "Because you submitted that early, and obviously the remit of the question lies within operational, we had actually requested officers bring a response for you at the meeting.

"Disappointingly that has not happened today and I can only apologise for that. I will make sure you are given a full answer to everything that you have asked.

"It is an operational matter. It is not something councillors can speak to. Like you, I expect answers to be brought forward to this committee. I am disappointed."

Next came a question from Oban Community Council convener Dr Frank Roberts, trying to understand what has been done about Oban flooding since the 2019 report.

Dr Roberts said: "In June 2021, the cost of a flood defence scheme for Oban was estimated to be £12.75m, and Oban was the top priority in Argyll and Bute. Is this estimate kept under review and has it been revised during the last three years, in support of efforts to raise the necessary finance?”

Councillor McKenzie said this would not be a question for the OLI Area Committee, but for the ED&I Committee.