The Group‟s purpose is to find out how the flooding occurred, particularly in
the context of a £38m spend to mitigate river flooding following the similar
disaster in 2005 and to establish what should be done to prevent or reduce
the severity of future occurrences.
1.2 Members of the Group have met extensively with representatives of the
Environment Agency (EA), Lead Local Flood Authority (Cumbria County
Council) and are aligned with similar groups across the county particularly
through the Cumbria Rivers Authority Governance Group (CRAGG).
Members have attended Westminster and given evidence to the EFRA
Select Committee and presented at the EA‟s annual Flood and Coast
Conference in Telford. In addition the Group have a representation on the
Cumbria Strategic Flood Partnership (CSFP) board conceived by Rory
Stewart when Floods Minister and also on the Eden Catchment
Management Group. Whilst the members of CFLAG would readily
acknowledge their individual education and experience may not have been
directed to careers in hydrology or river management, non-the-less the
experience gained over the last 3 years of investigation, particularly of local
conditions, is now extensive and should be accorded appropriate weight.
1.3 The CFLAG have been instrumental in promoting the concept of Flood Risk
Management (FRM) being a catchment wide strategic undertaking which is
now the EA‟s stated means of deploying FRM rather than singular reliance
on individual projects at problem points. This concept is not easily
considered within the planning system. The National Planning Policy
Framework (NPPF) focuses upon development sites and published local
Full report press here.
