Project Update
- 7 February 2008 - Hilary Benn launches a new Water Strategy for England, along with an accompanying consultation on improving surface water drainage. Surface water flooding was a major issue during the summer 2007 floods so we are developing this aspect of the Environment Agency’s new strategic overview as a priority.
- On 25 June 2007 Defra wrote to stakeholders seeking comments both on the scope of the Environment Agency Strategic Overview for Inland Flood Risk Management (EASO (Inland)) project and the policy options for the Integrated Urban Drainage Pilots. We are grateful for the range of constructive comments received, which have either influenced the scope of EASO (Inland) or have been noted for consideration in parallel. A summary of responses
 to the questions on EASO (Inland) is now available.
Summary
The EASO (Inland) project will draw upon evidence from a number of Making Space for Water projects. In particular we would look to the conclusions and recommendations from the Integrated Urban Drainage pilots (HA2) to inform development of this project.
For this reason, initiation of the EASO (Inland) project has been deferred and is now getting underway. Its primary aim will be to develop an overview for the Environment Agency that will improve governance, funding and delivery arrangements.
Timescale
We will carry out an initial consultation of key stakeholders on the main issues to be addressed in Summer 2007, followed by a more comprehensive consultation on proposals in late 2008. The Government’s Making Space for Water First Response (March 2005) indicated that we would review the legislative basis, and the organisation and committee structure of the Environment Agency, with the aim of implementing the wider strategic role progressively by 2009. This aim is to adopt a staged approach to implementation, where possible by administrative action. Other changes may require amendments to primary legislation and, while we will seek an early legislative opportunity, that may not occur for some time.
The key stages in the project timetable are as follows:
- April 2007 to February 2008 - Initial review of responsibilities/duties, their effectiveness and options for the future
- July to August 2007 - Share draft Project Initiation Document with stakeholders and approve by Project Board
- Autumn 2007- hold stakeholder workshops
- February to June 2008 - Prepare for consultation, prepare initial Impact Assessment, pre-consultation stakeholder event
- June to October 2008 - Public consultation
- January 2009 - Policy decision
Objectives/Background
By giving the Environment Agency a strategic overview for inland flood risk management, this project aims to improve governance, funding and delivery arrangements. It will enable a more holistic and sustainable approach to flood risk management with robust, evidence based decision making, effective stakeholder engagement and democratic input, best value from investment programmes and the best use of technical expertise.
Evidence will be gathered from the existing framework of flood management delivery bodies to identify where there are limitations in the Environment Agency’s existing supervisory duty and any gaps in flood risk mapping. This analysis of will inform the development of proposals to address these issues and improve the Environment Agency’s strategic overview. The proposals will apply equally in rural as well as urban issues, define the legal powers required to change the Environment Agency’s role and lead to a full consultation with stakeholders in order to secure Ministerial agreement to the final proposals. An implementation plan will define how and when any changes will be brought into effect.
Though this is primarily a Defra project it will also seek to identify how any revised responsibilities fit in with the Welsh Assembly Government’s Environment Strategy.
Project Scope
In summary, this project will aim to tackle the following issues:
- All forms of inland flooding other than localised domestic flooding (for example from plumbing failures) including the risks posed by climate change.
- Consideration of cross-government issues.
- Current roles and responsibilities of all bodies involved in inland flood risk management
- Reviewing the effectiveness of the existing Environment Agency supervisory duty
- Future roles and responsibilities of delivery agents and their relationship with the Environment Agency in the context of their overview (for each form of flooding).
- Legal considerations, levers and powers required to enable an effective strategic overview role.
- The role of Regional Flood Defence Committees in relation to the EASO (Inland).
- Details of the relationship between the Environment Agency, local authorities, the Highways Agency, Ofwat and water companies for the management of pluvial flood risk in urban areas.
- Wider roles and responsibilities for the Environment Agency for cross-cutting functions such as strategic planning, awareness raising and being the first point of contact for the public, informed by the Making space for water project looking at improved flood warning.
- Proposals for how, when and by whom any required changes should be taken forward, having regard for the practicalities of implementation and providing a clear programme.
- Review risk mapping requirements and responsibilities.
- Take account of other Making Space for Water projects insofar as they might affect the recommendations of this project and the Water Strategy as a possible vehicle for delivery of initial outputs.
- Impact Assessment including an estimation of costs to the Environment Agency and other delivery bodies as appropriate.
- Funding to deliver new burdens and implement legislation.
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