Welsh councils ‘need direction’ on coastal flooding

29 October 2009

Welsh local authorities need a clearer steer from the assembly government in order to effectively plan for the impacts of climate change and coastal flooding, according to a report by the Welsh Audit Office.

In a wide-ranging investigation into costal erosion and risk, the audtior general for Wales called on the assembly government to provide ‘supervision, expertise and additional capacity’ so that councils could complete the review of their shoreline management plans (SMPs).

These documents identify assets at risk from erosion and coastal flooding, monitor change, and set out objectives and policy for local coastal defence.

Designed to inform the assembly government’s strategic overview, they are due to be complete by 2010.
However, the report notes that although groups of coastal councils have already embarked on reviews of these documents, government guidance is yet to be distributed.

Funding needed by the coastal authorities to engage consultants and progress the reviews has only just been committed.

As a result of these delays, the report notes that England’s SMPs will be concluded 12 months before Wales’. Without explicit and overarching national policy, auditor general for Wales Jeremy Colman added that local decisions were unlikely to fit with the national strategic direction.

‘The flood and coastal erosion solutions proposed in the new SMPs may never be put into effect if they do not meet the assembly government funding or prioritisation criteria,’ the report states.

Mr Colman also found that a ‘heavy responsibility’ lay with councils to broker with their communities the changes enshrined in the new approaches programme – the assembly government’s new, risk-based approach to both inland and coastal flooding.

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