National Flood Prevention Party - Frequently asked questions
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National Flood Prevention Party - Frequently asked questions
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Why did you set up the NFPP?
I am unhappy with the way that the Environment Agency has handled flood and coastal defence since the mid-1990s. The £110m Jubilee River project was and still is a mess. This is £110m of your money spent on a sub-standard flood alleviation project followed by a £5m repair bill and a £2.75m out of court settlement for sub-standard design and construction. Have a look at the Jubilee River story - Index of contents page and you will see exactly what I mean.
Nobody was held responsible for the 2003 flood event downstream of Windsor, the Jubilee River was deemed 'not guilty' by Clive Onions, insurance is increasingly expensive or impossible to obtain, local watercourses lack basic maintenance, and the £300m LTFRMS proposal is expensive and unlikely to work if built. Dredging for flood defence purposes has been abandoned as seen from the following LTFRMS quote - 'Due to the difficulties and expense of removing and disposing of contaminated dredged material from the River it [dredging] has been set aside as an option under this Strategy.' Please see Thames used for radioactive waste disposal for 50 years
I wanted to stand in my local council elections (Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead) but the rules say that I am only allowed to call myself an 'Independent'. Therefore I applied (to the Electoral Commission) to register The National Flood Prevention Party.
Why did you set up the NFPP now?
The Flood Risk Regulations 2009 (as transposed from the European Directive) impose new duties onto the lead local flood authorities (llfa) and the Environment Agency. The EA and the llfa must meet various targets over the next few years and I believe that now is a good time to ensure that both duties and compliance dates are properly fulfilled by both parties. Failure to comply with FRR2009 may result in infraction and possible fines payable to the EU. I have provided a detailed guide to the FRR2009 here: Flood Risk Regulations 2009 and Ewan's Guide.
Also the Regional Flood Defence Committees are now being replaced by Regional Flood and Coastal Committees and I object strongly to the word 'defence' being removed from the description.
Where do I find the NFPP registered number, descriptions and emblem? On the NFPP contents page
Am I at risk of flooding?
You need to visit the Environment Agency web site and enter your postcode in the appropriate box. You need to be aware that there are different types of flooding, and that you have to find and search all types in order to find the complete answer to your question. For further details and an example please see River and reservoir flooding
What do you hope to achieve?
The bottom line answer must be to change Government policy. Defra and the Environment Agency implement a Government policy that I believe suffers from significant shortcomings. Take Flood Risk Management for example.............. The Environment Agency are happy to create and issue flood maps, and to issue flood warnings, but when it comes to watercourse maintenance - they find every excuse available to avoid maintaining the conveyance capacity of rivers and streams.
So what's wrong with current flood and coastal policy?
We live on a small island packed with people that need to be fed, so why are the EA proposing to use farmland for flood water storage rather than improve channel capacity? We clean the gutters on our buildings, the local council suck dirt out the the road gullies and clean the culverts, so why have the EA abandoned watercourse maintenance and in particular fail to ensure floodwater conveyance capacity? To be fair to the EA, they would admit to mowing the grass and occasionally trimming the trees, but when it comes to dredging....?
The Environment Agency appears to have abandoned all forms of coastal defence and are letting nature 'take its course'.
So why vote for common sense flood defence ? Please click here.....
What is the LTFRMS? It is a £300m project still on the drawing board - Lower Thames Flood Risk Management Strategy
Where do you sit in relation to the main parties and their policies?
Between the Conservatives and the Lib-Dems of course .........
Are you a 'one-issue' candidate?
Certainly not. I do treat the risk of flooding as an important issue, but having lived here for sixty years I am well aware of the other problems including crime and vandalism, highways and traffic matters. I am also acutely aware of the other activities that are detrimental to the quality of life locally.
How do I join the NFPP? Please contact me
How do I stand for election as an NFPP candidate? Please contact me
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Links
The National Flood Prevention Society
Promoted by Ewan Larcombe, 67 Lawn Close, Datchet SL3 9LA - Tel 01753 544302