Press release: South West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee has two vacancies

More than 5 million people are at risk of the devastating effects of flooding in the UK, with thousands of properties at risk in the south west.

The Environment Agency is looking for enthusiastic people to help manage flood risk throughout the south west and make a real difference to people’s lives and to the environment we live in.

The Agency is looking for people from all walks of life to fill vacancies on the South West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC). Being an RFCC member is an exciting opportunity to help guide local flood and coastal management across the whole region.

The RFCC covers Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

The successful applicants will play an important role in deciding on local priorities, approving programmes of work, and supporting the Environment Agency and lead local flood authorities in working with communities and other partners.

They will have a key role in balancing local priorities and making sure that investment is co-ordinated at the river catchment and shoreline scale, as well as promoting the consideration of climate change impacts in local decision making.

The Environment Agency is recruiting a member to represent land/country farming and another member to represent business interests.

Land/country farming

• provide a land management perspective at committee – working with the inland member and conservation members
• help the committee to understand issues affecting inland communities, landowners and farmers and how this impacts on river process and the coast
• monitor and review flood risk management and the river needing to be addressed
• provide a link between the committee, land management and farming groups in the committee’s area
• advocate good soil management with the farming sector to benefit flood risk and reduce diffuse pollution

Business interests

• experience in securing funding/investment from/for the private sector
• currently working in the business sector and understands the impact that flooding can have on private business
• established links to economic/regeneration institutions such as chamber of commerce, local enterprise partnership and other business leader forums

People from a wide range of backgrounds are invited to apply for the posts, especially those from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and women who are currently under-represented on regional flood and coastal committees.

A key role will be ensuring the aims of the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy are embodied within the committee’s decisions and to ensure consistency between strategic and local plans.

Further information and how to apply is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/south-west-regional-flood-and-coastal-committee or contact pamela.udy@environment-agency.gov.uk on 02084 746298. The closing date for applications is Thursday 5 April at 5.30pm.