North West flood committee is recruiting

The Environment Agency logo

A committee that specialises in deciding local flood priorities is looking for two new members.

The Environment Agency is looking for the members to join the North West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC) which will cover the major river catchments in the region, as well as the coast.

People with expertise in the water industry or agriculture and land management are urged to find out about a role on the committee.

RFCCs are committees set up by the government to decide on local priorities, raise local levies and approve programmes of work. They also support the Environment Agency and local authorities in working with communities and others to identify and raise funding.

Councillor Derek Antrobus, Chairman of the North West RFCC, said: “We all know how seriously floods can affect individuals and communities. We have to be the best we can be at managing risks. Membership of the RFCC is one way citizens in the region can help us – through their expertise or ability to speak for communities at risk.”

The committee needs to have a balance of skills, knowledge and experience across its membership.

The government appoints the committee’s chairman. Local authorities appoint 10 members who offer local democratic input and the Environment Agency recruits eight members for their specialist skills – two of these posts are currently vacant and these are the new members the Environment Agency is seeking to join the committee.

RFCCs play a vital part in the government’s partnership approach to flood funding where local authorities and communities are encouraged to financially contribute towards a flood scheme in their area.

The committee builds on the work started by the former North West Regional Flood Defence Committee which, since 2005, has delivered £171million of schemes funded by capital grant in aid from the Government via Defra.

It has also delivered schemes through a levy on local authorities. Since 2005, more than £25 million has been raised to deliver innovative partnership projects that do not qualify for grant-in-aid funding. In recent years the local levy has contributed towards major flood work on the Carlisle flood alleviation scheme, the emergency works at Cockermouth following the Cumbria 2009 floods, the Warrington, River Mersey, flood alleviation scheme and a large number of smaller flood alleviation and coastal erosion schemes supporting local communities.

Committee members don’t receive a salary but expenses are paid. RFCCs meet four times a year with occasional sub-group work between official meetings.

The deadline for applications is Friday 15 February 2013, with interviews taking place during March.

An application pack is available from, kate.murcott@environment-agency.gov.uk or by telephoning Kate Murcott on 01925 542464.