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Delegated Decisions by Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy - Friday, 11 September 2026 - 1.00 pm
September 11, 2026 at 1:00 pm Delegated Decisions by Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy View on council websiteSummary
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The Delegated Decisions by Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy meeting is scheduled for 2026-09-11. The agenda includes a review of thresholds for Section 19 Flood Investigation Reports and a proposal regarding the DSIT 5G Innovation Regions Project – England's Connected Heartland.
Updating Thresholds for Section 19 Flood Investigation Reports
A review of the current thresholds for triggering Section 19 Flood Investigation Reports is scheduled for discussion. These reports are a statutory duty of the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) under Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 20101, and they assess the causes and impacts of flooding, providing recommendations to Risk Management Authorities (RMAs) to reduce future risks. The proposed updates aim to simplify and clarify these thresholds to support more consistent and timely decision-making, informed by the significant number of investigations undertaken following the 2024 flooding events. The report suggests that the revised thresholds would have resulted in a similar number of investigations compared to the previous year, indicating improved efficiency without a material reduction in coverage.
DSIT 5G Innovation Regions Project – England's Connected Heartland
The meeting is set to consider a proposal to increase the budget for the England's Connected Heartland (ECH) programme by £1.44 million. This increase is intended to address unforeseen technical and site-related challenges encountered during the delivery of two flagship 5G infrastructure projects: one at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus and another along the new East West Rail line between Bicester and Bletchley. The additional funding would be sourced from a combination of grant payments from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the Digital Infrastructure Gainshare fund. If approved, the total ECH programme budget would rise to £6.14 million. The report highlights that without this increase, the projects would deliver reduced coverage, diminishing their long-term strategic value and potential for future commercial opportunities. The ECH programme is part of a wider effort to drive investment in wireless infrastructure, with the UK Wireless Infrastructure Strategy2 identifying 5G as crucial for the digital economy.
