National Press Office
- 1-Nov-2007 - Barbara Young, Environment
Agency Chief Executive, today (Thursday)
welcomed the six-month extension to Sir
John Harman’s term as Chair of the Environment
Agency Board.
“The Directors and I are delighted that
Sir John will stay with us for this additional
time, so that we and the country can gain
from his experience and wisdom in responding
to the various floods reviews and taking
recommendations forward,” Barbara Young
said.
“Sir John Harman became Chair of the Environment
Agency on 1 January 2000, and has been a
member of the Environment Agency Board since
1995. With so much experience, and close
involvement in flood risk management and
wider environmental issues over the years,
he is in an excellent position to contribute
to the Pitt Review and respond to its findings.”
The Secretary of State for the Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs, Hilary Benn said:
“The Environment Agency is playing a major
part in the independent lessons learned
review of this summer’s flooding, and is
also still heavily involved in dealing with
the after effects of the floods. It’s important
to maintain stability during this period,
and I know that Sir John Harman will provide
this. I am most grateful to him for agreeing
to stay on.”
Barbara Young continued: “The risk of flooding
is ever present, and with climate change,
increasing. We need to make sure homes –
particularly for more vulnerable people
- are built in a safe place, and that people
and the environment are protected.”
The Environment Agency Board has agreed
that other issues highlighted so far in
its review of the summer 2007 floods need
to be taken forward, including:
A strategic overview role for the Environment
Agency for inland flooding from all sources
including surface water floods and improved
co-ordination arrangements for all bodies
that need to help reduce the risk of urban
flooding
Improved flood protection for critical infrastructure
in the flood plain, such as vital utilities,
police and fire stations, hospitals, roads
and railways.
Preventing inappropriate development in
the flood plain or without adequate surface
water drainage
Increasing the resilience of buildings to
flood risk
“We all look forward to continue working
with Sir John to deliver the Environment
Agency’s objective to Create a Better Place,”
Barbara Young said.
Sir John Harman’s term as Chair will now
finish on 30 June 2008.
+ More
Environment Agency and museum team up for
unique flooding exhibition
Paul Gainey - A month long exhibition depicting
historic flooding in Tiverton is to be staged
in a unique collaboration between the Environment
Agency and Tiverton Museum.
Local people have contributed photos and
personal memories of flooding, particularly
from the 1960’s. These photographs and a
documentary film produced by students at
Tiverton High School will form the basis
of the exhibition.
The exhibition, which runs from 8 November
to 1 December, chronicles past floods in
Tiverton and graphically shows the disasters
through photographs. It also explains what
work has already been done to help relieve
flooding and looks at today’s role of the
Environment Agency
‘We will also be highlighting the work
that the Environment Agency carries out
to reduce the risk of flooding and how we
help people to protect themselves through
our Flood Warning systems,’ said Caroline
Trevaskis for the Environment Agency.
‘To compliment the exhibition, our flood
warning teams will be in Tiverton in late
November to promote the flood warning direct
system and floodline.’
The film was made by Tiverton High School
after they invited local residents who witnessed
the events of December 1960 to record their
memories. The personal experiences and memories
have now been preserved for ever as part
an historic archive.
