Recommendations & Conclusions
5 items
5
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Flooding
Not Addressed
The Environment Agency should facilitate this by keeping a record of schemes that are unable to proceed due to being unable to secure adequate partnership contributions, including a quantification of the losses in flood resilience that result.
Government response AI summary
The government defends its partnership funding approach, stating it is successfully delivering its objectives and that funding is achievable. It confirms that partnership funding will be regularly monitored to identify key risks, but does not explicitly commit to recording schemes that fail due to inadequate …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
12
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Flooding
Not Addressed
Local authorities will be a key delivery partner for the Government’s new flooding policies, so we are very concerned by evidence of inconsistency and shortcomings in capacity. While it is for local authorities to take local decisions, central Government must ensure that they are properly resourced to implement their existing …
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Local authorities will be a key delivery partner for the Government’s new flooding policies, so we are very concerned by evidence of inconsistency and shortcomings in capacity. While it is for local authorities to take local decisions, central Government must ensure that they are properly resourced to implement their existing functions and the Government’s new flooding policies. We note that the Government has recognised the need to review funding for local government statutory flood risk functions, and it is essential that this review is completed in good time especially given the wider financial pressures local authorities are facing. The Government should set out details on the scope and timescale of its planned review of funding for local government flood risk functions. The Government should ensure that local authorities have dedicated resources to effectively deliver existing flood risk management functions and any new roles, and that their needs are continually monitored to avoid future shortfalls. (Paragraph 53) Lessons from the 2019–20 flooding
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Government response AI summary
The Government states that local authorities are currently resourced for flood risk management and will consider the impacts of future reforms, but it does not provide details on the requested funding review's scope and timescale or commit to ensuring dedicated resources.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
14
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Flooding
Not Addressed
It is welcome that the Government has now put in place a package of support measures for households and businesses impacted by severe flooding. While it is right that local authorities will usually be best placed to deliver these measures in their areas, it is concerning that some appear to …
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It is welcome that the Government has now put in place a package of support measures for households and businesses impacted by severe flooding. While it is right that local authorities will usually be best placed to deliver these measures in their areas, it is concerning that some appear to have been left ill-prepared to deal with expectations being set by high-profile announcements from central Government. The eligibility criteria for these schemes have also created at least the impression of unfairness. The use of a single threshold of 25 or more flooded houses, across local authority areas of different sizes, also raises questions of fairness. The review of the Flood Recovery Framework and the property flood resilience grant scheme should include an evaluation of the timeliness and adequacy of communication from central Government to local authorities, as well as whether the scheme ought to include an additional element of reimbursement for administrative costs. The Government should also ensure that the eligibility criteria for these schemes are clearly communicated, and fairly reflect the differences between local authority areas, including size. The operation of the Bellwin scheme in relation to flood events should also be reviewed as part of this work.
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Government response AI summary
The government's response focuses on community engagement and the role of the third sector in flood resilience, including reviews of resources and training by the Environment Agency, but does not address the recommendation to review specific flood recovery schemes or communication with local authorities.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
16
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Flooding
Not Addressed
The Government should supplement its July 2020 policy statement with an additional action plan, developed with local partners, for the long-term physical, economic, and psychological recovery of communities impacted by flooding. This should include a clear explanation of which national and local actors should be responsible for key aspects of …
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The Government should supplement its July 2020 policy statement with an additional action plan, developed with local partners, for the long-term physical, economic, and psychological recovery of communities impacted by flooding. This should include a clear explanation of which national and local actors should be responsible for key aspects of flood recovery support, how they will be supported and resourced, and a plan to monitor delivery against a set of recovery indicators. The Government’s commitment to support the voluntary sector should include funding to help charities respond to flooding and build capacity in other organisations. (Paragraph 69) Development and flood risk
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Government response AI summary
The Government's response is a truncated repetition of the recommendation, providing no actual engagement with its substance or commitments from the government.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
35
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Flooding
Not Addressed
The Government should review the institutional arrangements for community engagement in flood risk management, to identify best practice and opportunities for more effective approaches. The Government should also commit to ensuring that risk management authorities are resourced and supported to carry out meaningful engagement, including making funding available to the …
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The Government should review the institutional arrangements for community engagement in flood risk management, to identify best practice and opportunities for more effective approaches. The Government should also commit to ensuring that risk management authorities are resourced and supported to carry out meaningful engagement, including making funding available to the voluntary sector to build capacity in other organisations. (Paragraph 143) 54 Flooding
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Government response AI summary
The government's provided response text is identical to another committee recommendation (ID 20976) and does not address the specific recommendation about reviewing community engagement institutional arrangements or resourcing for risk management authorities and the voluntary sector.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs