RESILIENCE
89. Establishing a statutory nuisance provision might
serve to reduce the likelihood or severity of flooding, but it
was clear from the National Flood Forum that those at risk wanted
also to take control of their own destiny as much as possible.
People wanted to protect their homes from flooding, and if that
were not possible then to make them resilient to its effects.
Our National Flood Forum witnesses impressed us with their own
resilience, not just in their own personal stories of flooding
but also in terms of their determination to battle the system
to get flood defence and resilience moved up the agenda.
90. Mary Dhonau had concluded that for homes at risk
no amount of flood barrier would provide protection for evershe
wanted to "ban the sandbag".[145]
The focus needed to be more on 'resilience' than on 'resistance',
but for resilience "there is very very little information
[and] evidence out there".[146]
Laurence Waterhouse was concerned about the utility of some flood
defence products on the market:
we are getting round to the sort
of double glazing scenario of the sixties and seventies where
flood products, food resilience products, et cetera, are seen
as the new double glazing in some respects. Many, many people
try to get in on the market. Many thing are good, many things
are bad, obviously, and there is a need for much more advice,
much more regulation.[147]
91. Our NFF witnesses highlighted the high cost of
getting solutions 'kite-marked', and indicated that as important
was good advice on what things worked and what did not.[148]
They told us that they had discussed the possibility of becoming
something akin to a 'consumer association' but they were a small
organisation needing resources to undertake their work.[149]
92. Defra should
do more to promote flooding resilience at the most local level.
The Bill should include a requirement on the Environment Agency
and local authorities to include in their flood risk management
plans a duty to promote resilience.
93. The National
Flood Forum is an example of what ordinary people can and will
do to influence and control their flood risks. Those at risk of
flooding need good information about what products and advice
are available. Defra should consult the National Flood Forum and
other local groups about the scope for more comprehensive advice
for those at risk of flooding. The Department should explore the
scope for these groups developing, with Defra funding if necessary,
a system for reviewing and rating the effectiveness of flood defence
products.
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