Pitt review will call for overhaul of legal framework over flooding

27 March 2008

A Whitehall review is set to recommend a complete overhaul of the legal framework for managing flood risk and drainage.

Sir Michael Pitt, leading the ‘lessons learned’ review into the flooding of last June and July, told a conference: ‘We have, almost, to start again, with new legislation, to sort out the tremendous confusion of responsibilities.’

Pitt, giving a taste of his thinking ahead of his review’s final report, due to be published in June, was minded to urge primary legislation, given the ‘mess’ of the current legal framework.

This goes further than the interim report, which called on councils to lead on the management of surface water flooding, assisted by water companies and others, but stopped short of recommending legislation or new statutory responsibilities.

Pitt, a former county council technical officer, said: ‘A lot of people didn’t know who was accountable... even expert witnesses told us, “We can’t get to the bottom of this.”’ His statement is likely to be welcomed by flood-risk professionals.

The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management has warned that without statutory duties, Pitt’s recommendations ‘might come to nothing’. Pitt hinted he was considering placing ‘a duty to cooperate’ on water companies, given that they sometimes ‘for mysterious reasons, cannot share information on their drainage systems’.

The willingness of some local authorities to pre-empt the review gave him confidence that councils would be able to ‘fill the leadership vacuum’ on local flood risk. ‘Some local authorities are already doing most of what we are recommending,’ he said.

‘An engineer in one unitary I was visiting had a plan of how flood waters were predicted to flow through all its villages – and they’ve just done it, without waiting for my report, or additional funding.’

Register now for full access

Register just once to get unrestricted, real-time coverage of the issues and challenges facing UK transport and highways engineers.

Full website content includes the latest news, exclusive commentary from leading industry figures and detailed topical analysis of the highways, transportation, environment and place-shaping sectors. Use the link below to register your details for full, free access.

Already a registered? Login

Sign In

Pitt review will call for overhaul of legal framework over flooding

buying biaxin

ordering clarithromycin

Register now for full access

Login