Issue - meetings

To receive a report by the Interim Head of Service (Operations) regarding the Open Spaces Water Safety Policy.

Approve the Open Spaces Water Safety Policy including the proposed programme of site specific risk assessments to confirm the safety measures to be implemented on a site by site basis.

The Cabinet received a report by the Interim Head of Service (Operations) (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) regarding the Open Spaces Water Safety Policy.

An open water area within public open space could present a danger to users if it was not well managed and the Policy established the direction for the future management of Council owned open water.

The Open Spaces Water Safety Policy had been developed to enable the Council to better ensure the safety of users of public open space and included a proposed programme of site specific risk assessments.

In accordance with best practice the management measures adopted following the site specific risk assessments would include:

•  provision of off-site safety information predominantly via the Council’s Website;

•  when confirmed as required by the site specific risk assessments, provision of onsite signage that detailed the key dangers and safety arrangements;

•  site rescue equipment to be provided if confirmed by the site specific risk assessments;

•  edge protection, particularly the removal of dense vegetation at the appropriate time of year if confirmed as required by the site specific risk assessments;

•  in the design of future new sites that contain open water, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) design guidance would be followed.

It was explained that the Water Safety Policy had been designed and developed based on advice and guidance from the RoSPA ‘Safety in Inland Water Sites - Operational Guidelines’.  Over the next 12 months RoSPA would train staff to conduct site specific risk assessments resulting in the Council being self-sufficient in the future to create sustainable arrangements for managing open water areas.

Every open water area would be categorised in accordance with the Risk Level Classification contained in Appendix 3 of the submitted report. The categorisation would indicate the appropriate safety measures required. 

The Cabinet commended the report and requested that the provision of off-site safety information include the promotion and importance of swimming lessons.

Having been invited to address the Cabinet, the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economy and Growth) explained that the Panel fully supported the pump priming of £30,000 for the provision of equipment and signage confirmed as necessary from the site specific risk assessments.  The Panel had requested that a balance between safety of the public and the environmental benefit of the biodiversity of water edges be considered during risk assessments.  Whereupon the Cabinet,

RESOLVED

to approve the Open Spaces Water Safety Policy, as attached to the submitted report, including the proposed programme of site specific risk assessments to confirm the safety measures to be implemented on a site by site basis.

To receive a report on the Open Spaces Water Safety Policy.

With the aid of a report by the Interim Head of Operations (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the report on Open Spaces Water Safety Policy was presented to the Panel. Members were informed that when formulating the policy Officers investigated the best practice of other local authorities.

The Panel was advised that as part of the policy all open water sites would be risk assessed according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) guidance. It was recommended that RoSPA should train staff within the Environmental Services Section to carry out risk assessments as this was seen as a more sustainable approach to managing the risk of open water sites.

Members noted that it was proposed the Council proactively manage the risk of open water sites by using RoSPA’s publication ‘Safety in Inland Water Sites’ as design guidance so that developers will consider the risks of open water sites when designing and constructing developments.

In response to a question regarding reassessing the risk the Panel noted that the Council would assess high risk open water sites each year and low risk open water sites every three years. Members were advised that legislation places the emphasis on Local Authorities to assess the risk of open water sites and how often those areas should be reassessed.

Following Councillor Mrs B E Boddington’s question on the environmental impact the policy could have upon open water sites the Panel was informed that the Council would ensure that the balance between managing the risk to the public and protecting the biodiversity of an area was effective and fair.

Concerns were raised in regarding open water sites within the District where there were not safety measures and it was not clear who is responsible for the maintenance. Members noted that the policy lists the locations of Council owned outdoor open water sites and that £30k would be pump primed to provide equipment and signage as necessary from the site specific risk assessments.

The Panel were pleased with policy as it shows the Council are taking water safety seriously and have indicated that they would like to review the policy at a Panel meeting in 12 months’ time. The Panel,

RESOLVED

to recommend to Cabinet that the Open Spaces Water Policy should be endorsed.

(At 8.00pm, during the discussion on this item, Councillor R Harrison left the meeting).