Winter floods 2013-14 - Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Contents


2  Winter floods relief effort

6. Numerous organisations and services were involved in the response to the winter floods including the Environment Agency, emergency services, local councils, highways agencies, the military, public health, the national flood forum and individual volunteers. Around 4,500 Environment Agency staff worked to help flooded communities by running pumping stations, erecting temporary barriers, clearing blockages from rivers and issuing flood warnings.[7] In various places across the country, the Environment Agency loaned equipment (e.g. pumps and machinery) from local companies and organisations, to help with the clean-up effort.

7. Following a visit to some of the worst-affected areas in the South-West and the Thames Valley in February, the Prime Minister made a statement thanking all the Environment Agency staff, emergency services, local authorities and local volunteers for their contribution to the relief effort and saying that:

    money is no object in this relief effort. Whatever money is needed for it will be spent. We will take whatever steps are necessary.[8]

8. The Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP, later qualified this, saying that the commitment was not a "blank cheque".[9] However, Lord Smith of Finsbury, Chairman of the Environment Agency, assured us that the additional funds allocated by the Government as part of the response would enable the Environment Agency to repair all its flood defence assets to 97% good condition following the severe damage caused by the succession of storms over winter.[10] In circumstances where the Environment Agency loans equipment from a third party for the purposes of flood risk management or repairs, it is important that the state of the equipment is documented when it is first handed over.[11] Any negotiations relating to the loan of equipment should be clearly documented, including full contractual provision for repairs, general upkeep and the return of equipment.

9. We commend the widespread help provided to communities during the winter floods relief effort. Repairing and replacing damaged flood defence assets following the winter storms is an immediate concern, but longer-term issues such as improving resilience to withstand future flooding events must not be overlooked.


7   Environment Agency (XFL 0025) para 1.2 Back

8   David Cameron's statement on the UK storms and flooding, gov.uk transcript of speech, 12 February 2014 Back

9   UK flooding: David Cameron's pledge is not a blank cheque, the Guardian, 12 February 2014 Back

10   Q183 Back

11   See Q110 and Q111 Back


 
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Prepared 17 June 2014