Interim government review of U.K. summer flooding published

The summer floods in the United Kingdom were a “wake-up call” for the country, says the interim report of the Independent Review commissioned by the British government to learn lessons from the events. It urges immediate action in a number of areas by government departments and agencies, local authorities, and other stakeholders, as well as members of the public, to ensure we are not caught out again by events like the flooding of June and July. The author of the independent Review, Sir Michael Pitt, one of the country’s most respected and experienced figures in local public service, was asked by ministers in August to identify the lessons to be learned from the emergencies and to make recommendations that would help the country adapt and deal more effectively with flooding on the unprecedented level of last summer. The Review’s interim findings, published Tuesday, makes fifteen “urgent recommendations” to be implemented as soon as possible to reduce the impact of any flooding that might occur in the near future. These address the issues of managing flood risk, groundwater monitoring, local and national planning and response, public information, and public preparedness. Additionally, the Review draws seventy-two interim conclusions, awaiting further information and evidence before being put forward in firm recommendations next summer.

The report is written from the standpoint of flood victims, highlighting the devastation to lives and livelihoods and the necessity for the authorities to reduce the risk and impact of future events. It includes contributions from affected communities and businesses and key stakeholders, such as the emergency services, local authorities, and public and regulatory bodies.

The floods were the result of the wettest summer since records began, and were of a different scale and type to previous events — the majority being due to surface water flooding, for which no warning system was in place — with drainage systems being overwhelmed. It could have been even worse. “The country was fortunate that the impact of the emergencies were not much more severe,” says Sir Michael. Several major disasters were only narrowly averted. For example, had Walham electricity switching station near Gloucester failed, 500,000 people would have been without power. Better protection for critical infrastructure and national communications installations is among the Review’s key interim recommendations. Overall, the Review finds that the government responded well to the emergencies, with effective collaboration between departments and agencies. Sir Michael concludes, however, that the country was not as well prepared as it should have been. He warns that “flood risk is here to stay,” and the signs are that similar extreme events are likely, underlining the need for better preparation.

Flooding is a national issue, and the Review says the government must take the lead in making the case for adapting to climate change, particularly in reducing the potential impacts on communities. A clear strategy and action plan should be developed to deliver the provisions of the Climate Change Bill and support adaptation to more frequent extremes of weather. Flood legislation should be streamlined and updated to clarify responsibilities, address all sources of flooding, and reflect the modern, risk-management approach. With around two-thirds of the floods caused by surface water, there needs to be a new emphasis on guarding against this type of flooding. Sir Michael says the Environment Agency is best placed to develop a national approach to managing surface water flood risk, including development of surface water mapping and warning tools; and it should no longer be a right of householders and businesses to lay impermeable surfaces as they wish.

Sir Michael also calls for stronger local leadership and forward planning. He found there was no clear allocation of responsibilities at the local level for assessing the possible impact of severe weather or for triggering the appropriate multi-agency response. He recommends that “upper-tier” local authorities lead the planning for weather emergencies, and that the police be responsible for co-ordinating the emergency response.