High Level Targets
Important note: These High Level Targets have now been superseded and replaced by Outcome Measures as of 1 April 2008. |
From the Head of Flood Management Division
| To: | Barbara Young, Chief
Executive, Environment Agency David Noble, Chief Executive, Association of Drainage Authorities Sarah Wood, Director of Economics and Environmental Policy, Local Government Association |
14 March 2005
New High Level Targets for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management
I am pleased to enclose a revised set of High Level Targets (HLTs) which take effect from 1 April 2005. These replace the HLTs issued in November 1999.
We have developed this set of HLTs in consultation with colleagues in the Environment Agency, Association of Drainage Authorities and the Local Government Association as well as with the wider FM Stakeholder Forum. The Introduction to the paper sets out the context in which these have been developed and why these are regarded as an interim revision.
I am pleased that the revision of the HLTs met with general approval. While some respondents thought that they needed to go further, or in different policy directions, we have aimed to keep these HLTs as an evolution of the earlier targets; we will consider further and possibly more radical changes in the context of (a) the new strategy for flood and coastal erosion risk management and (b) new output and performance measures that we are developing for introduction in 2006-07.
You will see that Part 2 of the paper refers to both the aim under our new strategy for flood and coastal erosion risk management and also the target for the Spending Review 2004 period. However, at this stage the precise aim and SR04 target are not spelled out; they will be included once they have been fully agreed and published. However, as they are not critical to these new HLTs, and in the interests of giving you as much notice as possible of them, we are sending you the document now without including the aim and SR04 target at this stage.
We are placing these new HLTs on the FM pages of the Defra website and will be sending a link to all LAs and IDBs as well as to our Stakeholder Forum.
In the meantime I am grateful for the continuing support and cooperation that you have shown in relation to the HLT initiative.
Yours sincerely
[Signed]
SARAH NASON
Head of Flood Management
HIGH LEVEL TARGETS FOR FLOOD AND COASTAL EROSION RISK MANAGEMENT
|
Important note: These High Level Targets supersede and replace those issued in November 1999 and which took effect on 1 April 2000. |
PART 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 This document contains High Level Targets (HLTs) for flood and coastal erosion risk management to take effect from 1 April 2005. These HLTs are not statutory requirements but are important to the delivery of Government policy. Defra therefore looks to all operating authorities to implement them and overall achievement will be considered as part of the review of the Funding Review outcomes that Defra plans for 2007.
1.2 Following recommendations by the former Agriculture Select Committee in August 1998, the then MAFF published a set of HLTs for the flood and coastal defence operating authorities in November 1999. Those targets, which took effect from 1 April 2000, were intended to facilitate a more certain delivery of the Government's national policy aim and strategy for flood and coastal defence in England.
1.3 The targets in this document supersede and replace those implemented in April 2000 to reflect a number of important changes since then. These include the outcome of the Flood and Coastal Defence Funding Review and the introduction of agreed performance measures and targets for the Environment Agency (EA) as part of their Corporate Plan following the change in funding to Defra Flood Defence Grant in Aid. Some of the previous targets were short term and are no longer relevant; others (such as those relating to flood warning and improvements to defences) have been incorporated in the Agency's Corporate Plan or have otherwise been superseded. We have therefore streamlined the targets in order to provide more focus on what still needs to be done by all operating authorities and to place greater emphasis on outcomes rather than processes.
1.4 Defra's intention is to review these targets further in 2006. That revision will in particular reflect the planned introduction of new output and performance measures for the flood and coastal erosion risk management programme based on risk assessment and development of the new Government Strategy for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management. In the meantime the revised targets will continue to include requirements to report to Defra on a number of matters. As before, the intention is that the reports will be published on Defra's website, so providing greater openness and accountability in the provision of flood and coastal erosion risk management.
PART 2: DEFRA AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
2.1 The 2000 High Level Targets were established in the context of the aims and objectives set out in the 1993 MAFF/Welsh Office Strategy. Defra has since been developing a new Government Strategy for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management the aim under which is:
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To manage the risks from flooding and coastal erosion by employing an integrated portfolio of approaches which reflect both national and local priorities, so as:
To secure efficient and reliable funding mechanisms that deliver the levels of investment required to achieve the vision of this strategy. |
2.2 Defra's five year strategy Delivering the Essentials of Life has identified the management of flood and coastal erosion risk, in a way which furthers sustainable development, as one of the Department's Strategic Outcomes within the Strategic Priority of Meeting the Challenge of Climate Change.
2.3 To complete the context within which this revised set of HLTs operate, Defra has to meet its Spending Review 2004 target:
Defra will manage flood and coastal erosion risk so as to contribute to sustainable development, including minimising loss of life and improving the standard of protection for at least 100,000 households using efficiency savings to maintain outputs at equivalent levels to 2005-6.
PART 3: TARGETS
Policy Delivery Statements
3.1 The primary aim of the HLTs is to ensure a more certain delivery of Defra's stated policy aim for flood and coastal erosion risk management. This delivery is through the operating authorities - ie the Environment Agency, local authorities and internal drainage boards. The previous targets required statements to be produced by all operating authorities setting out amongst other things the area they cover and how they will manage flood and coastal erosion risk in that area. Statements are also to cover the approach to environmental issues, emergency planning, developer contributions and development control. The full range of issues to be covered was set out in a template issued in June 2000. The template recommended that these statements be reviewed every three years. The first Government response to the Autumn 2004 Making Space for Water consultation exercise, published in Spring 2005, needs to be captured in operating authority policy delivery statements. It is suggested that operating authorities review their statements accordingly and also, for example, reflect changes in responsibilities following the transfer of critical ordinary watercourses to the Environment Agency, or where IDBs have amalgamated. The new target is designed to ensure that policy delivery statements remain in place, whilst operating authorities adapt to the changing institutional arrangements and consider how they should respond to the new Strategy.
| Target 1 - Policy Delivery Statements | By When | By Whom |
|---|---|---|
| Maintain current and
publicly available policy delivery statements setting out plans for delivering
the Government's policy aim in relation to flood and coastal erosion risk
management, and update as necessary. Statements should be published on your website with the relevant link sent to Defra, EA and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). If you do not have a website send a hard copy to Defra, EA and DCLG. The relevant addresses e-mail and hard copy addresses are below. |
Ongoing | All Operating Authorities |
| Pat Thorpe Defra Area 5C Nobel House 17 Smith Square London SW1P 3JR fmpso@defra.gsi.gov.uk |
Peter Bide |
Trevor
Linford Environment Agency Rio House Waterside Drive Aztec West Almondsbury Bristol BS32 4UD FRMpolicy.statement@environment-agency.gov.uk |
Please see our lists of operating authorities (local authorities and internal drainage boards) for links to their policy delivery statements.
Provision of flood and coastal risk management measures
3.2 Defra's SR2004 Target, set out in para 2.3, provides challenging targets for managing flood and coastal erosion risk over the period 2005-08. The work undertaken by all operating authorities will contribute to this target and arrangements are in place within Defra for monitoring progress and ensuring delivery.
3.3 However, the provision of defence measures in any given area has to be considered within a legislative framework that is essentially permissive. Defra has provided guidance to operating authorities on the factors which influence investment decisions though final responsibility rests with them, taking account of such guidance and other factors including the availability of resources.
3.4 From 2006-07 Defra intends to establish output and performance measures for flood and coastal erosion risk management which will allow improved prioritisation of expenditure on flood management and coastal protection within and between the different operating authorities. Also from April 2006, the Environment Agency is expected to have full responsibility for all rivers having the greatest flood risk - the so called critical ordinary watercourses ("COWs").
3.5 Defra therefore intends to review the High Level Targets further in 2005/06 to reflect these developments but in the meantime it is necessary to seek full effectiveness of the National Flood and Coastal Defence Database (NFCDD) and that arrangements remain for data acquisition including the results of inspections. The arrangements for establishing the NFCDD and for inspections were set out in the 1999 Targets and are regarded as being rolled forward for the purposes of target 2 below. Accurate data is essential for setting future output and performance measures and targeting resources on risk reduction.
| Target 2 - Information on the National Flood and Coastal Defence Database (NFCDD) | By When | By Whom |
|---|---|---|
| A. Record on the NFCDD all base information relating to flood and coastal defences in accordance with EA specifications. | 31 March 2006 | All operating authorities |
| B. Record on the NFCDD information on new or altered flood and coastal defences in accordance with EA specifications. | 20 working days of completion | All operating authorities |
| C. Record on the NFCDD the results of inspections of watercourses and flood and coastal defence assets in accordance with EA specifications. | 10 working days of inspection | The operating authority carrying out the inspection (or EA by agreement). |
| D. Record on the NFCDD the results of inspections of privately owned flood and coastal defence assets in accordance with EA specifications. | 10 working days of inspection | The appropriate operating authority1 |
1For main river, COWs and sea defence frontages, the 'appropriate operating authority' will generally be the EA (though some sea defence frontages are the responsibility of the local authority). For coast protection frontages, the 'appropriate operating authority' will be the coastal authority within whose boundaries the private coastal defence is located. The appropriate operating authority is responsible for ensuring that timely inspections by the agreed party, to the required standard, are carried out and the results recorded on the NFCDD.
Shoreline Management Plans
3.6 Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs) have been promoted by Defra as a means for providing a large-scale assessment of the risks associated with coastal processes and presenting a long term policy framework to manage those risks and further sustainable development, ie achieve the best mix of economic, environmental and social benefit. In doing so, an SMP is a high level document that forms an important element of the strategy for flood and coastal risk management.
3.7 First generation SMPs have been completed around the coastline of England and Wales. Many operating authorities have adopted the recommendations of their SMP as a basis for production of individual strategic plans, monitoring programmes and studies for all or parts of their coastline and, where proven by strategic plans, the implementation of appropriate schemes. Future generations of SMPs should build on the first generation Plans, taking account of information subsequently collected, the results of further analysis or changing circumstances. The intention is that summary output data will be recorded on the NFCDD.
3.8 In completing second generation SMPs, it will be essential to give full consideration to the findings of any Coastal Habitat Management Plans (CHaMPs) that have been completed for the area concerned. It is intended that the CHaMP process will be incorporated in future SMP revisions.
| Target 3 - Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs) | By When | By Whom |
|---|---|---|
Produce second
generation SMPs in accordance with revised Defra guidance (to be published in
2005) and the indicative
timetable
for each SMP |
All plans to be complete by March 2010. | Designated Lead Authorities |
NB: the Environment Agency has targets under their Corporate Plan for taking forward Catchment Flood Management Plans
Biodiversity
3.9 Defra flood management policy is committed to playing its part in wider Government policies for the protection of the environment and biodiversity, and acknowledges that flood and coastal erosion risk management has a considerable impact on this. As a minimum, works must be environmentally acceptable. However, operating authorities are positively encouraged to seek and consider opportunities for environmental enhancement when selecting flood and coastal defence options at a strategic level and in developing schemes. The Environment Agency has specific targets for habitat creation under its Corporate Plan as a contribution to the PSA target on SSSIs and to the England Biodiversity Strategy, reflecting the need to replace habitats that are being lost due to coastal squeeze and other flood management related issues (see Target 4.G below). In addition, all operating authorities are required to respond to specific statutory obligations and targets (including measures to protect SACs, SPAs, Ramsar sites and SSSIs). It is intended that, through their policy statements (Target 1), operating authorities will acknowledge these requirements, and also set out the arrangements that they have in place for compliance to protect and enhance the environment when carrying out works. The following, more specific targets, will also apply.
| Target 4 - Biodiversity | By When | By Whom | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Ensure no net loss to habitats covered by Biodiversity Action Plans and seek opportunities for environmental enhancements | Continuous | All operating authorities | ||||||
| B. In consultation with English Nature, review Water Level Management Plans for all priority(1) SSSIs that are in unfavourable condition, and submit to the Environment Agency a costed action plan of flood management measures to achieve favourable condition | 1 April 2007 | All relevant operating authorities | ||||||
| C. In consultation with English Nature, assess the flood management measures necessary to achieve the PSA target for SSSIs not covered by WLMPs(2) and submit to the Environment Agency a costed action plan of flood management measures to achieve favourable condition | 1 April 2006 | All relevant operating authorities | ||||||
D. Report to the
Environment Agency
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Annually by 1 April | All operating authorities | ||||||
| E. Environment Agency to report to Defra on the collated information from B, C and D above | Annually by 1 July | Environment Agency | ||||||
| F. Create at least 200 hectares of new Biodiversity habitat per annum as a result of flood management activities, of which at least 100 ha should be saltmarsh or mudflat(3) | Annually | Environment Agency | ||||||
| (1)Priority sites are those as identified in
Achieving the PSA Targets for SSSI:
A review of the contribution of Water Level Management Plans, Defra
& English Nature, September, 2004. (2)Including creating new habitat to offset the effects of coastal squeeze where that is the reason sites are in unfavourable condition. (3)This target has been agreed as a key target and performance measure in the Environment Agency Corporate Plan. It is included here for clarity to indicate a minimum contribution to environmental targets that Defra expects the Agency to deliver annually in relation to its flood risk management programme funded by Defra Flood Defence Grant in Aid. |
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[Added on 27 February 2007: 2005-06 report to Defra, HLT 4 Biodiversity]
Development Control
3.10 As stated in paragraph 2.1, the new Government Strategy for Flood and Coastal Risk Management has the aim of managing the risks from flooding and coastal erosion by employing an integrated portfolio of approaches which reflect both national and local priorities. This includes working with local planning authorities to help ensure that development does not add unnecessarily to flood risk.
3.11 The EA's Corporate Plan for 2004-2007 sets targets for reducing the number of local authority planning permissions which are granted against EA advice on development in the flood plain. DCLG provides guidance on development control in the floodplain to local planning authorities through the publication of PPG25 which establishes a risk-based approach that gives priority to development in lower-risk areas.
3.12 Defra will be working with DCLG in reviewing PPG25 in 2005 to consider the experience of its implementation and effectiveness, and to take account of any changes in knowledge on climate change. As part of this it is intended that DCLG will consult on the EA becoming a statutory consultee for all applications for development in areas of flood risk. Defra intends to review this High Level Target further in 2006 to reflect these developments.
3.13 A similar target remains in place for development in areas at risk of coastal erosion. Guidance to planning authorities on coastal planning exists in the form of PPG 20.
| Target 5 - Development in areas at risk of flooding and coastal erosion | By When | By Whom |
|---|---|---|
A: Flood
Risk: Report to Defra and DCLG on:
|
Annually by 30 September for year to previous 31 March | Environment Agency (in partnership with local planning authorities) |
B: Coastal
Erosion Risk: Report to Defra and DCLG on:
|
Annually by 30 September for year to previous 31 March | Coast protection authorities |
For reports on achievement of this target please see the Environment Agency's website.
Internal Drainage Boards
3.14 In announcing its conclusions of the flood and coastal defence funding review in March 2003 the Government said that it wanted to address a number of issues in relation to IDBs including through the use of high level targets relating to the number and size of IDBs and their membership. Elliot Morley wrote to IDB Chairmen in July 2003 setting out his views on this issue and said that the 3 year review of the Funding Review outcomes, which will be conducted in 2007, will take account of the way that IDBs have recognised and embraced the need for change; more radical changes to the present management structures for land drainage and flood defence were not ruled out.
3.15 To take this forward, Defra intend to engage consultants who, in consultation with the EA and the Association of Drainage Authorities and others, would advise on the present IDB arrangements and how well each IDB fits into a broad model of IDBs should be operating in the present day. We would therefore expect the consultants to make recommendations on issues such as IDB membership and structures, their openness and accessibility, access to specialist advice (including on environmental issues) as well as whether individual boards would benefit from changed management arrangements.
3.16 The agreed recommendations following this study would feed into the new targets that we plan from April 2006. In the meantime Defra ask the Association of Drainage Authorities to continue to provide annual reports on progress in implementing the guidance, issued under the November 1999 targets, on IDB amalgamations, consortia and membership. We also ask IDBs to respond fully and promptly to any requests for information from Defra or our agents, including EA and the consultants.
| Target 6 - IDB organisation and administration | By When | By Whom |
|---|---|---|
| A. Report to Defra on progress in implementing previously issued guidance on IDB amalgamations, consortia and membership. | 1 June annually | Association of Drainage Authorities |
| B. Respond to any requests for information from Defra or their agents. | As required | IDBs |
A progress report(large
file - 1mb) was supplied by the Association of Drainage Authorities to Defra in
May 2005
Page last
modified: 23 May 2007
Page published: 17 March 2005