Grimsby Business Centre

Response to this request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, North East Lincolnshire Council should have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Dear North East Lincolnshire Council,

All questions relate to the Grimsby Business Centre located on King Edward Street.

1.Please supply dates of each and every subterranean drain clearance for the site for the past six years and which company undertook said works. (Planned and unplanned work)

2. Please detail the extent of this drainage works detailed in Q1, and any findings that could impact upon the site.

3. Please supply dates of each and every roof drainage clearance works for the site of the past six years, detailing which company undertook said works. (Planned and unplanned work)

4. Please detail the extent of the works detailed in Q3 , and any findings that could impact upon the site.

5. Please detail the dates of each incident of water ingress at the Centre in the past six years.

6. Please confirm the total monetary amount of claims arising from each of reported incidents of flooding in the past six years.

7. Please detail costs to date for the water ingress that occurred on 20 July 2014.

8. Please detail costs to date for the water ingress that occurred on 10 August 2014.

9. Please detail any maintenance reports to the Council or their contractors that relates to any part of the drainage or water handling systems for the past six year

10. Please detail any works that followed up the reports made in question 9.

11. How is previous history of flooding communicated to unit holders.

12. In the case of the incident dated 20 July when was liability agreed and by whom.

13. In the case of the incident dated 10 August when was liability agreed and by whom.

14. In the case of the incident dated 20 July what date was the Council's insurance company made aware of this incident and by whom.

15. In the case of the incident dated 10 August what date was the Council's insurance company made aware of this incident and by whom.

16. Of all the water ingress incidents over the past six years please detail which units were effected during each occurrence.

17. In the case of the incident dated 20 July what is the official finding of the cause of the water ingress.

18. In the case of the incident dated 10 August what is the official finding the cause of the water ingress.

19. For all incidents of water ingress in the past six years, what works were carried out to prevent re-occurrence after each incident.

20. Please detail the type/state of the water of each incident over the past six years i.e. surface water, sewerage or mixed.

21. If units have suffered water ingress more than once, what has been done to protect those specific units?

22. During a meeting on the 1 August 2014 between leaseholders and NELC representatives at the Business Centre (Highways and Drainage) why were the NELC (Highways and Drainage) members of staff advised not to attend the meeting by senior members of NELC staff?

23. Since the incident of 20 July what has been done to support the businesses within the Centre to recover and return to normal operations.

24. To the date of this request how many businesses are reporting they cannot operate as a business as a result of the incidences dated 20 July and 10 August.

25. To the date of this request how many businesses are reporting significant reduction in their ability to operate the business as a result of the incidences dated 20 July and 10 August.

Yours faithfully,

Scooby

PPD - FOI, North East Lincolnshire Council

Dear Sir or Madam

 

I am pleased to acknowledge your request for information, which has been
allocated the reference number 8650_1415.

Your request has been passed to the relevant department for processing and
you can expect your response within the 20 working day limit. If it will
take us longer than 20 working days to respond to you, we will inform you
of this and provide you with the expected date for receiving a response.

Further information about how we will deal with your Freedom of
Information requests is available on our website at:
[1]http://www.nelincs.gov.uk/council/the-co....

Please feel free to contact me if you require any further information or
assistance quoting the reference number above.

 

Yours sincerely on behalf of North East Lincolnshire Council

 

Feedback Officer

Resources Directorate

 

 

 

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PPD - FOI, North East Lincolnshire Council

1 Attachment

Dear Scooby 

 

In response to your information request 8650_1415, I wish to confirm that
North East Lincolnshire Council holds the following information in
relation to the Grimsby Business Centre, King Edward Street.

 

1.Please supply dates of each and every subterranean drain clearance for
the site for the past six years and which company undertook said works.
(Planned and unplanned work) 

 

This information may not record the actual dates on site.

 

Project Date Contractor
05/09/2014 HAITH HEATING LTD
11/09/2014 HAITH HEATING LTD
19/11/2013 N H DRAIN SERVICES
28/01/2014 N H DRAIN SERVICES
27/06/2012 N H DRAIN SERVICES
27/06/2012 N H DRAIN SERVICES
19/12/2012 N H DRAIN SERVICES

 

2. Please detail the extent of this drainage works detailed in Q1, and any
findings that could impact upon the site. 

 

Project Title Project Date
Carry out camera survey of all drains as per quote 05/09/2014
The works to clear the remaining surface water drains and 11/09/2014
flat channel ducting. 
Clear blocked rainwater gully to carpark to LHS near skip 19/11/2013
Clear blocked drain outside Gregs cafe 28/01/2014
Call out to unblock internal drain run  corridor flooding 27/06/2012
Call out to unblock internal drain run  corridor flooding 27/06/2012
Call out to blocked internal drains - corridors flooding 19/12/2012

 

3. Please supply dates of each and every roof drainage clearance works for
the site of the past six years, detailing which company undertook said
works. (Planned and unplanned work)

 

Some works may be sub contracted to others.

 

Project Date Contractor
01/05/2012 ARK JOINERY & Building Maintenance
14/06/2012 ABM ROOFING
22/11/2012 ABM ROOFING
06/12/2012 WEATHERMASTERS
18/10/2012 HAITH HEATING LTD
17/12/2012 MANTA SHOPFITTERS LTD
16/01/2013 MANTA SHOPFITTERS LTD
22/01/2013 MANTA SHOPFITTERS LTD

 

4. Please detail the extent of the works detailed in Q3 , and any findings
that could impact upon the site. 

 

Project Title Project Date
Investigate unit 53 damaged by leaking roof  2 x ceiling 01/05/2012
tiles need replacing
Investigate leak to flat roof over unit 53 14/06/2012
Investigate roof leaking & water running down outside of 22/11/2012
downpipes in corridor to rear of premises. Out
Install plygene liner to box gutter over Unit 74 to prevent 06/12/2012
water ingress plus additional f
Investigate unit 74 - water coming through the ceiling. Looks 18/10/2012
like there is a bucket in the roofspace.
Carry out patch repair to underside box gutter to roof space 17/12/2012
Investigation works following water ingress to disabled wc 16/01/2013
ceiling
Investigate problem with the guttering near the 24hr door 22/01/2013
closest to our loading bay.

 

5. Please detail the dates of each incident of water ingress at the Centre
in the past six years. 

 

June 2012, July 2014 & August 2014

 

6. Please confirm the total monetary amount of claims arising from each of
reported incidents of flooding in the past six years. 

 

2012 = £1,935.76

2014 – still under investigation

 

7. Please detail costs to date for the water ingress that occurred on 20
July 2014. 

8. Please detail costs to date for the water ingress that occurred on 10
August 2014. 

 

Costs for both = £4,905.51

 

9. Please detail any maintenance reports to the Council or their
contractors that relates to any part of the drainage or water handling
systems for the past six year 

 

The volume of rain water experienced in the 2012 & 2014 was unprecedented
and greater than normal.  The existing drains systems were not designed to
take the volume in the short period of time and started to surcharge.  
This property is not alone with the flooding and this is supported further
by the flooding experienced across the borough.  In 2012 & 2014 further
flooding was experienced to main road carriageways and land.

 

The report of the drainage following the recent flooding in 2014 are part
of the on-going insurance investigation and cannot be shared at this
present time.

 

10. Please detail any works that followed up the reports made in question
9. 

 

A survey of the drainage was completed on 8^th September and the
information is part of the on-going insurance investigation.

 

11. How is previous history of flooding communicated to unit holders. 

 

Various methods depending on unit holder which includes face to
face/telephone/email

 

12. In the case of the incident dated 20 July when was liability agreed
and by whom. 

 

The insurance investigation is ongoing with findings not known at this
present time.

 

13. In the case of the incident dated 10 August when was liability agreed
and by whom.

 

The insurance investigation is ongoing with findings not known at this
present time.

 

14. In the case of the incident dated 20 July what date was the Council's
insurance company made aware of this incident and by whom. 

15. In the case of the incident dated 10 August what date was the
Council's insurance company made aware of this incident and by whom. 

 

Both incidents were reported to insurer loss adjusters on 21 August 2014
by an officer of the council’s insurance team.

 

16. Of all the water ingress incidents over the past six years please
detail which units were effected during each occurrence. 

 

2012 = 71,72, & 73

2014 – please see the attached map

 

17. In the case of the incident dated 20 July what is the official finding
of the cause of the water ingress.

 

It is believed the sizes of the original drains were not designed to
remove the unprecedented volume of rain water experienced over the short
period of time.  The insurance investigation is ongoing with the findings
not known at this present time.

 

18. In the case of the incident dated 10 August what is the official
finding the cause of the water ingress. 

 

It is believed the sizes of the original drains were not designed to
remove the volume of rain water experienced over the short period of
time.  The insurance investigation is ongoing with the findings not known
at this present time.

 

19. For all incidents of water ingress in the past six years, what works
were carried out to prevent re-occurrence after each incident.

 

No additional works have been completed to increase the size of the drains
as it is believed the occurrences of flooding were caused by the drains
surcharging due to the unprecedented volume of rainfall in the short
period of time.  The drainage system is capable and does accommodate the
discharge of the normal volume of rainfall and therefore is suitable for
the areas and building type.

 

20. Please detail the type/state of the water of each incident over the
past six years i.e. surface water, sewerage or mixed.

 

Surface water for all three occasions.

 

21. If units have suffered water ingress more than once, what has been
done to protect those specific units?

 

The Centre has only been flooded in 2012 and 2014 (albeit twice in 2014 in
quick succession).  It is still under discussion what the best possible
way forward is for those units affected.

 

22. During a meeting on the 1 August 2014 between leaseholders and NELC
representatives at the Business Centre (Highways and Drainage) why were
the NELC (Highways and Drainage) members of staff advised not to attend
the meeting by senior members of NELC staff?

 

The management of the business centre is through the business centres team
and supported by a maintenance department.  The maintenance department
liaised with the drainage team direct.  The decision was taken to ensure
the appropriate use of councils and it is partners resources, reduce any
unnecessary duplication and ensure communication to the tenants was
coordinated through the business centre team as described in question 11.

 

23. Since the incident of 20 July what has been done to support the
businesses within the Centre to recover and return to normal operations.

 

Alternative accommodation was offered whilst the units were out of action

 

24. To the date of this request how many businesses are reporting they
cannot operate as a business as a result of the incidences dated 20 July
and 10 August.

 

One

 

25. To the date of this request how many businesses are reporting
significant reduction in their ability to operate the business as a result
of the incidences dated 20 July and 10 August.

 

One

 

If you believe that your request for information has not been handled in
accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, you have the right to
request an internal review by the Council. Please be clear about which
elements of the Council’s response or handling of the request you are
unhappy with, and would like the Council to address during the internal
review process.  If following this you are still dissatisfied you may
contact the Office of the Information Commissioner. If you wish to request
an internal review, please contact me and I will make the necessary
arrangements.

 

Yours sincerely on behalf of North East Lincolnshire Council

 

Feedback Officer

Resources Directorate

 

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Dear PPD - FOI,

We feel that you have not answered clearly a few of the questions, to start please clarify the following points:

Q1 & Q2,We asked for 'Details' this would normally include the findings of such works..

Please supply details of works i.e. blockage found and removed, No Blockage found, Drain Collapse etc etc

Q11, For the effected units that have been flooded more than once, please detail how the specific units where communicated the information regarding previous flooding history.

What level of importance for the communication of the history of flooding do you put on the specific units highlighted in your response?

1. Not important
2. Mildly important
3. Significantly important

Please detail why you think this?

Q15, From an insurance point of view, is there any sort of time frame to report incidences of this nature to the insurance company and if so what it it?

Why did it take 33 days to report the first incident?

Could it, did it or has this 33 day delay in reporting the first incident to the insurance company delay or impact upon any insurance claims?

Could it, did it or has this 12 day delay in reporting the first incident to the insurance company delay or impact upon any insurance claims?

Q20, You state 'surface water' is this 100% surface water?

Yours sincerely,

Scooby

PPD - FOI, North East Lincolnshire Council

Dear Sir/Madam

 

I am pleased to acknowledge your follow up request for information, which
has been allocated the reference number 8650_1415.

Your request has been passed to the relevant department for processing and
you can expect your response within the 20 working day limit. If it will
take us longer than 20 working days to respond to you, we will inform you
of this and provide you with the expected date for receiving a response.

Further information about how we will deal with your Freedom of
Information requests is available on our website at:
[1]http://www.nelincs.gov.uk/council/the-co....

Please feel free to contact me if you require any further information or
assistance quoting the reference number above.

 

Yours sincerely on behalf of North East Lincolnshire Council

 

Feedback Officer

Resources Directorate

 

show quoted sections

PPD - FOI, North East Lincolnshire Council

Dear Sir / Madam

 

Thank you for your information request, reference number 8650_1415. I wish
to confirm that North East Lincolnshire Council holds the following
information.

 

Q1 & Q2,We asked for 'Details' this would normally include the findings of
such works..

Please supply details of works i.e. blockage found and removed, No
Blockage found, Drain Collapse etc etc

 

·         05/09/2014 HAITH HEATING LTD - Carry out camera survey of all
drains as per quote 05/09/2014  - Survey produced and the report of the
drainage following the recent flooding in 2014 are part  of the on-going
insurance investigation and cannot be shared at this  present time.

·         11/09/2014 HAITH HEATING LTD - The works to clear the remaining
surface water drains and 11/09/2014  flat channel ducting - All drains
cleared and were free flowing on completion.

·         19/11/2013 N H DRAIN SERVICES - Clear blocked rainwater gully to
carpark to LHS near skip 19/11/2013  - Gulleys cleared.

·         28/01/2014 N H DRAIN SERVICES - Clear blocked drain outside
Gregs cafe 28/01/2014  - Drains cleared and were free flowing on
completion

·         27/06/2012 N H DRAIN SERVICES - Call out to unblock internal
drain run  corridor flooding 27/06/2012 -   Drains cleared and were free
flowing on completion.

·         27/06/2012 N H DRAIN SERVICES - Call out to unblock internal
drain run  corridor flooding 27/06/2012 - Drains cleared and were free
flowing on completion. 

·         19/12/2012 N H DRAIN SERVICES - Call out to blocked internal
drains - corridors flooding 19/12/2012 - Drains cleared and were free
flowing on completion.

 

Q11, For the effected units that have been flooded more than once, please
detail how the specific units where communicated the information regarding
previous flooding history.

 

North East Lincolnshire Council holds no further information in relation
to this element of your request.

 

What level of importance for the communication of the history of flooding
do you put on the specific units highlighted in your response?

1. Not important

2. Mildly important

3. Significantly important

Please detail why you think this?

 

The Freedom of Information Act (2000) gives individuals and organisations
the right of access to all types of recorded information held, at the time
the request is received, by public authorities such as North East
Lincolnshire Council. Section 84 of the Act states that in order for a
request for information to be handled as a Freedom of Information (FOI)
request, it must be for recorded information. For example, a Freedom of
Information request would be for a copy of a policy, rather than an
explanation as to why we have that policy in place. On occasion, North
East Lincolnshire Council receives requests that do not ask for recorded
information, but ask more general questions about, for example, a policy,
opinion or a decision. In this instance I am satisfied that this element
of your request falls outside of the scope of the Freedom of Information
Act as it is not a request for recorded information but is a request for
an opinion.

 

Q15, From an insurance point of view, is there any sort of time frame to
report incidences of this nature to the insurance company and if so what
is it?

The council’s insurance policy for this property solely relates to the
building and there is an excess of £100,000. The insurers require that
incidents where the loss is likely to exceed this amount are reported
promptly. There is no specific requirement to report claims below the
excess save that we provide information annually to the insurer.

 

Why did it take 33 days to report the first incident?

The insurance team was waiting for information regarding the likely value
of the claim to reinstate the damage to the buildings

 

Could it, did it or has this 33 day delay in reporting the first incident
to the insurance company delay or impact upon any insurance claims?

There is no impact.

 

Could it, did it or has this 12 day delay in reporting the first incident
to the insurance company delay or impact upon any insurance claims?

There is no impact as information is still outstanding regarding the
reinstatement costs to the building.

 

If you believe that your request for information has not been handled in
accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, you have the right to
request an internal review by the Council. Please be clear about which
elements of the Council’s response or handling of the request you are
unhappy with, and would like the Council to address during the internal
review process.  If following this you are still dissatisfied you may
contact the Office of the Information Commissioner. If you wish to request
an internal review, please contact me and I will make the necessary
arrangements.

 

Yours sincerely on behalf of North East Lincolnshire Council

 

Feedback Officer

 

Resources Directorate

 

 

 

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