Meetings

The FCERM Board met on Thursday 29 October by video conferencing.  Please contact David Green, FCERM Board Secretary, for other details.

Agenda

October 29 meeting action log

Update from FCERM Chair (and supporting documents)

Brian Richards had taken on the Chair’s role now that Ruth Bendell has retired.  The  FCERM Board met using MS Teams video conferencing from 1000 on Thursday 2 July.

The agenda and draft action log can be downloaded below.

On 14^th July ’20 the Secretary of State laid the national flood and coastal erosion risk management strategy for England in parliament (40 day period) and Defra published their FCERM policy statement. The strategy provides a framework for guiding the operational activities and decision making of practitioners such as Lead Local Flood Authorities, supporting the direction set by government policy. The aim is that together, the policy statement and the strategy will ensure that the country is more resilient to flooding and coastal erosion in the long term. The Environment Agency will also be publishing the outputs of the draft consultation response document alongside the strategy.

DEFRA Strategy (14 July 2020)

DEFRA Policy Statement

Future revenue funding commitments in support of the LLFA role need to be clarified. This links with the forthcoming Defra Environment Bill which is looking at changes to the way Internal Land Drainage Boards are funded, how charging for Land Drainage Consents can be made more representative of the actual costs incurred in processing and HM Government Autumn Comprehensive Spending Review.

The Association of SuDS Authorities (largely represented by LLFA’s across the country) is currently leading on a number of working review groups. These include looking at the Non Statutory Technical Standards, Planning Framework, Adoption Models, Capacity Building and Promotion of LLFA role as Statutory Planning Consultee for major development. This is particularly relevant given the recent publication of the Sewerage Sector Guidance wef 1^st April ‘20, giving Water and Sewerage Companies more of a role in the adoption and maintenance of future SuDS features.

Forthcoming events include The Flood Expo in Birmingham (3-4^th November ’20) and the Flood and Coastal conference in Telford (rescheduled to 28 June – 1 July 2021)

For further details about the Board’s work please contact the FCERM Board Secretary David Green – [email protected]