DEFRA’s response to Pitt flood review ‘next month’

15 October 2008

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will publish its response to the Pitt review in late November, it confirmed at this week’s Local Government Flood Forum.

Authorities have been worried about a lack of resources, especially for funding new staff, but DEFRA’s project executive, David Wright said: ‘We realise the cost of local authorities’ enhanced role, and we are taking the government line that there will be no unfunded new burdens.’

Wright also hinted that grants and workshops would be considered to help local authorities produce flood-resilient buildings. The Floods and Water Bill manager, Steven Jones, encouraged local authorities to get involved ‘to shape the draft Bill’. ‘It is a consultative process and there will be room for late-comers until January,’ he said. ‘

There will be also an opportunity for public scrutiny once the draft Bill is published.’

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