FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Launched last week, Sir Michael Pitt’s review, Learning lessons from the 2007 floods recommends that local authorities play a major role in the management of local flood risk whilst acknowledging the need to establish how these new responsibilities can be technically and financially resourced.
The Pitt Review welcomes the role of organisations such as the Local Authority Network on Drainage and Flood Risk Management (LANDFoRM) to help local authorities develop and build up the required skills and expertise.
Paul Shaffer - LANDFoRM coordinator and CIRIA Associate said: "The message we are getting back from local authorities is supportive of the new role set out in the Pitt review, but also recognition of the challenges ahead.
"Our recommended approach for local authorities is the gradual building up of capacity through dissemination, seminars and forum. This approach was supported by the majority of respondents to a recent LANDFoRM survey of local authority network members and drainage engineers"
LANDFoRM was initially scoped in 2006 with support from the Environment Agency to work with local authorities to develop and share knowledge about better approaches towards sustainable management of flood risk and drainage. The network is now supported by the Environment Agency, Mouchel and Interpave.
For further information about LANDFoRM, visit www.ciria.org/landform
ENDS
LANDFoRM: www.ciria.org/landform
Pitt Review: www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/thepittreview/final_report.aspx
LANDFoRM has been set up by CIRIA and sponsored by the Environment Agency, Interpave and Mouchel. It aims to give Local Authorities a platform to discuss and learn about flood risk management and surface water management by identifying needs and responding with knowledge sharing and capacity building workshops and seminars.
The network is guided and supported by a Strategic Advice Group that includes
Defra, Environment Agency, Communities and Local Government, Local Government
Association, County Surveyors Society, Planning Officers Society, Association
of Drainage Authorities individual local authorities, Town and Country Planning
Association and the Royal Town Planning Institute and other organisations
like CIWEM and research organisations.
For further press information, contact:
James Milne
Press Officer
CIRIA
Tel +44 (0)20 7549 3342
press@ciria.org