Pitt report on flooding published
Sir Michael Pitt today called for urgent and fundamental changes in the way the country is adapting to the increased risk of flooding and called on the Government to set out publicly how it will make rapid progress, and be held to account, on improving the country's flood resilience
Publishing his Independent Review into the floods of 2007, one of the widest ranging policy reviews of our time, Sir Michael said: "During the year I have received more than one thousand written submissions from the public, consulted widely and visited communities to see for myself the extraordinary hardship so many families across the country are facing. It is unacceptable that one year on, thousands of people remain in temporary accommodation.
"Research published as part of my report today shows that the risk of flooding continues to escalate; making the events that shattered so many communities last year an ever increasing threat. I urge the Government to show leadership and urgently set out the process and timescale for improving resilience in the UK. The recommendations in my report are realistic and affordable and should be made a priority. Waiting for another serious event is a dangerous 'strategy of luck'; we need to act now to protect our future."
The Government should:
• Establish a Cabinet Committee dedicated to tackling the risk of flooding, bringing flooding in line with other major risks such as pandemic flu and terrorism;
• Publish monthly summaries of progress during the recovery phase of major flooding events, including number of households still displaced;
• Ensure proper resourcing of flood resilience measures, with above inflation increases every spending review;
• Establish a National Resilience Forum to facilitate national level planning for flooding and other emergencies;
• Have pre planned, rather than ad hoc, financial arrangements in place for responding to the financial burden of exceptional emergencies;
• Publish an action plan to implement the recommendations in this review, with regular progress updates
