Flood Management Advisory Committee Meeting 26 November 2025

Minutes of the Flood Risk Management Advisory Committee Meeting 26 November 2025

Directorate Name	Infrastructure
Date / Time	26 November 2025 - 2:00 PM
Venue	Microsoft Teams
Chairperson	Councillor Mat Howard
Voting Attendees	Clr Mat Howard	Michael Carney (SES)	Pilar Lorenzo
	David Chick	Matthew Murphy	Tim Harnett
	Emily McGrath	Bowen Hicks
Non – Voting Technical Advisory Attendees	Peter Shields (IWC)	David Paton (IWC)	Rafaah Georges (IWC)
	James Ogg (IWC)
Observers	Tiffanie Ong (IWC)	Jason L’Ecuyer (Cooks River Alliance)	Robert Baker
	Andrew Jones	David Grasby (Sydney Water)
Apologies	Clr Andrew Blake	Andrew Thomas (Cooks River Alliance)	Simon Myall
	Jaan Ranniko

1. 2. Acknowledgement Of Country – Clr Howard

I acknowledge that we are meeting on the land of the Gadigal and Wangal people of the Eora Nation and pay my respects to the elders past and present and I extend that respect and acknowledgement to any Aboriginal people who are here with us today.

3. Disclosures of Interest

Nil.

4. Confirmation of Minutes of August 27,2025 Flood Management Advisory Committee

Confirmed by Pilar seconded by Tim Harnett

5. Staff Reports  

5. 1 -   FMACC0225 (1) Item 1 Outstanding Actions Register

Meeting	Item	Actions	Comments	Status
FMAC 29/2/24	5.2	That Council develop communications regarding flooding and relevant services in the local area including the SES that can be made available through customer service centres, libraries and be made available to local real estate or rental agencies for new residents to the local community	Council’s existing web page for emergency information has been updated to include information links to support services like SES and Red Cross. Emergencies - Be prepared - Inner West Council. Local warnings are shared through social media	Closed No further action.
FMAC 29/2/24	5.4	That in the development of the Flood Information Hub, Council work to make emergency information for accessible and visible, that Council investigates the reporting of local road closure information.	Planned road closures are currently reported to state agencies and digital mapping services via the NSW Government OneRoad portal.	Closed No further action.
Ordinary Council 12/11/24 C1124(1)	26.6	That Council provide for members of the public to present to the Flood Risk and Management Committee on flood related matters by establishing a public forum, as is the case with the Inner West Council Traffic Committee.	Report presented at the 26 November 2025 FMAC meeting.	Closed No further action.
Ordinary Council 20/05/25 C0525(1)	19.3	That Council identify grant funding options available, and preparatory work that would be needed to apply for such grants, to fund these upgrades.	Report provided to the September meeting of Council	Closed No further action.
Ordinary Council 20/05/25 C0525(1)	19.4	That Council report the outcomes of these engagements to Council in August 2025.	Report provided to the September meeting of Council	Closed No further action.
FMAC 27/08/25	7	That the committee be presented with a report at the next meeting about flooding concerns in Hill Street, Marrickville.	Report presented at the 26 November 2025 FMAC meeting.	Closed No further action.
FMAC 27/08/25	7	That the committee be presented with a report at the next meeting about flooding concerns in Osgood Avenue, Marrickville.	Report presented at the 26 November 2025 FMAC meeting.	Closed No further action.

OFFICERS RECOMMENDATION

That Flood Management Advisory Committee receive and note the report

DISCUSSION

The Hill Street, Marrickville report indicated significant silt deposited in the pipes draining the area, which has now been cleaned out over a period of a week. The report also notes tidal impacts that affect the area as well, and dependant on when storms hit there is still a possibility of this issue occurring at the location.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

That Flood Management Advisory Committee receive and note the report

Michael Carney moves the item, seconded by Tim Harnett.

For Motion: Unanimous

FMACC0825(1) Item 2; Public Forum to the Flood Management Advisory Committee

SUMMARY

The Flood Management Advisory Committee Terms of Reference has been amended to include a clause providing for and governing the procedure of a Public Forum prior to the consideration of reports being presented to the Committee.

OFFICERS RECOMMENDATION

That Flood Management Advisory Committee receive and note the report.

DISCUSSION

Clause 7.4 Public Participation clause has been added to the Flood Management Advisory Terms of Reference following the August meeting. The structure of the clause and terms within it have been built from the local traffic forum clauses and code of meeting practise.

Clr Howard raised query if the terms of reference that have been drafted preclude people from speaking on any matters other than a flood study or flood mitigation matter. James advised it is for focus on flood study and implementation of flood risk management plan and aims to keep focus on matters on the agenda. Matthew Murphy suggests for change of wording to the effect of ‘to matters relating to the business of the committee as would be determined by the chair’ or to speak specifically to agenda items. Clr Howard notes the terms of reference can be amended after a period if needed to open it up more. Matthew Murphy raised concerns that committee members seeking to raise matters relating to the agenda would require the agenda to be released earlier than was released for the current meeting. Clr Howard confirmed standard practise is for agenda and report to be released seven days beforehand and published online for public viewing.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

That Flood Management Advisory Committee receive and note the report, subject to further amendments noting that a member of the public can request to speak to any agenda item.

Clr Howard moves the item, seconded by Matthew Murphy.

For Motion: Unanimous

FMACC0525(1) Item 3 ; South Marrickville Flood Study

SUMMARY

Inner West Council has completed overland flow flood studies for 8 of its 9 primary catchments. Marrickville South, covering the areas of Dulwich Hill and Marrickville draining to the Cooks River, is the only area within the Inner West LGA that does not yet have a contemporary Flood Study or Flood Risk Management Plan. Council has secured two-thirds grant funding from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to support the delivery of a contemporary Overland Flow Flood Study for this area. Following a request for quotation, Council has engaged specialist flood consultants, Stantec, to undertake the project. The proposed timeline outlines key milestones for each stage of the Flood Study, including significant hold points where the Flood Advisory Committee will be invited to review and endorse draft proposals. These milestones will inform the scheduling of key Flood Management Advisory Committee meetings in 2026.

OFFICERS RECOMMENDATION

That Flood Management Advisory Committee receive and note the report.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

That Flood Management Advisory Committee receive and note the report.

Tim Harnett moves the item, seconded by Emily McGrath.

For Motion: Unanimous

FMACC0825(1) Item 4 ; Review of Flooding on Illawarra Road

SUMMARY

This report outlines the results of Council's investigations of reported flooding on Illawarra Road in the vicinity of Hill Street and Thornley Street Marrickville, following a request from the SES Area Commander at the August meeting of the Flood Management Advisory Committee.

OFFICERS RECOMMENDATION

That Flood Management Advisory Committee receive and note the report.

DISCUSSION

As part of Councils investigations, a contractor was engaged to undertake CCTV and cleaning around this vicinity. Substantial silting had blocked many of the pipelines, which have now been cleared.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

 Michael Carney moves item, seconded by Matthew Murphy.

For Motion: Unanimous

FMACC0825(1) Item 5 ; Review of Flooding on Osgood Ave

SUMMARY

This report outlines the results of Council's investigations of reported flooding in Osgood Avenue near Ewart Street, following a request from the Committee Chair at the August meeting of the Flood Management Advisory Committee.

OFFICERS RECOMMENDATION

That Flood Management Advisory Committee receive and note the report.

DISCUSSION

Councillor Howard raised resident concerns of stormwater collecting and sitting in the gutters. James notes that there is no existing pipe drainage within the street, however the kerb and gutter is designed to convey stormwater to the point where the piped drainage at the intersection can receive it. The South Marrickville Flood Study is being undertaken in 2026, which will provide greater clarity and certainty on the likely volume of stormwater flows in the street, however at this time there is nothing to support more work than the extension in Ewart Street.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

That Flood Management Advisory Committee receive and note the report.

Clr Howard moves item, seconded by Pilar Lorenzo

For Motion: Unanimous

7. General Business

Pilar Lorenzo raised concerns regarding drainage caused by leaf litter blockage in Osgood Street and Arthur Street. James advised of the monthly street sweeping cycle that is carried out however scheduled of cleaning is not guaranteed prior to an anticipated storm. A hot spot list of low points has also been developed which is monitored by Council’s outdoor crew. Council has a cyclic and responsive maintenance to be as proactive to the circumstances.

Meeting Closed 2:49pm