Press Release - Inland Flood Defence
15 March 2001
A National Audit Office report today highlights research by MAFF
that up to two million homes and buildings in England are in areas
at risk of flooding. The key points in the report to Parliament by
NAO head Sir John Bourn are that:
- while flood defences can reduce the risk or extent of damage,
they cannot prevent all flooding, as seen in late 2000;
- awareness of flood risk - among the five million people who
live or work in areas at risk, those responsible for flood defence
activity and those planning to build in areas at risk – can be the
single most important defence against the worst effects of
flooding; research by the Environment Agency before the late 2000
floods showed that two in five households at risk did not know if
their insurance would cover them in a flood;
- when reviewing the lessons to be learned from the floods of
late 2000, all agencies responsible for flood defences should
consider whether the division of responsibility and the way
permissive powers operate increase the risks of suffering flood
damage for some people; they also need to do further work to
explore whether the basis for categorisation of main and non-main
rivers leads to inadequate and inconsistent levels of flood defence
service across different parts of the country; and
- a condition survey (completed in 2000) of the Agency’s flood
defence structures and linear barriers showed a substantial
proportion in a less than good condition and significant regional
variations.
The report acknowledges that the Environment Agency has, since
its establishment in 1996, made considerable progress on behalf of
regional and local flood defence committees: for example, in
developing a flood warning strategy; and in improving the quality
and coverage of flood risk mapping and of defences. However, the
Agency is not responsible for all flood defences.
The recent floods demonstrated the serious consequences which
flooding can have for people and their property - 11,000 people
were requested to evacuate their homes or businesses and 10,000
properties were flooded.
Current inland and coastal flood defences are estimated to
reduce the annual cost of damage as a result of flooding by over
£2 billion. To that extent, the annual investment by flood
defence bodies of some £400 million represents good value for
money. However, a survey of the Environment Agency's flood defences
showed some 43 per cent of structures and 36 per cent of linear
barriers in England are in a fair, poor or very poor state, and
that there are significant variations between regions. Surveys of
assets managed by others were not yet complete.
The large number of organisations involved in the provision of
flood defence (including the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Food, the Environment Agency, 235 Internal Drainage Boards, 9
Regional and 11 Local Flood Defence Committees and all local
authorities) means that the extent of joined up working required to
protect those at risk represents a massive challenge.
Sir John identified four priority tasks for those delivering the
flood defence service.
- The development over the coming years of strategic plans for
all river catchments. These plans are fundamental to the long term
upgrading of flood defences to take account of local conditions,
existing risks and defences, and the impact of changes in sea
level, climate and rainfall.
- Completing and modifying flood risk maps and considering how
the costs may be shared by developers - recent floods have raised
concerns that further or inappropriate development in the
floodplain will lead to more extensive flooding.
- Surveys of flood defences need to be completed to clarify
whether remedial work is required, where defences in areas of risk
may not provide the level of safety residents believe there to
be.
- Benchmarking and economic evaluation of maintenance of defences
is important because of its contribution to the quality of flood
defences and the possible scope for identifying savings and
releasing resources for other defence work.
Sir John commented:
"Changes in climate and rainfall patterns over the next
50 years are expected to lead to an increased risk of flooding.
Many houses and businesses have been, and more are likely to be,
built in the flood plains. It is essential that those people whose
properties could be affected by flooding are aware of the dangers,
that they know what to do in an emergency, and that they know who
is responsible for defence measures.
" Furthermore, all of the bodies involved in flood
defence work must be thoroughly joined up to ensure that the
complicated arrangements and sharing of responsibility do not
absorb energy and resources that might otherwise be devoted to
planning and implementing flood defences."
Notes for Editors
Flood defence structures include sluices, weirs,
barriers, locks, outfall culverts and pumping stations. Linear
barriers are walls and embankments between the river and
defended areas.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has
responsibility for establishing flood and coastal defence policy in
England. It administers the legislation that permits flood defence
works to be carried out by others. It provides grants for some
capital works, but maintenance works are funded by local
authorities.
The Environment Agency has a duty to exercise a general
supervisory role over all flood defence matters. It is the largest
single authority carrying out flood defence work in England, most
of which is funded by levies on local authorities, largely on main
rivers.
Powers in respect of non-main rivers lie with local authorities and
other public or private organisations. The Agency exercises all of
its flood defence operations through Flood Defence Committees.
These are made up of Ministry appointees and councillors from local
authorities. They provide a direct link with the public and other
customers of flood defences.
Press notices and reports are available from the date of
publication on the NAO website at http://www.nao.org.uk/ Hard
copies can be obtained from The Stationery Office on 0845 702
3474.
The Comptroller and Auditor General, Sir John Bourn, is the head
of the National Audit Office employing some 750 staff. He and the
NAO are totally independent of Government. He certifies the
accounts of all Government departments and a wide range of other
public sector bodies; and he has statutory authority to report to
Parliament on the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which
departments and other bodies have used their resources.
Press Notice 20/01
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