North West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee is recruiting

The Environment Agency are looking for new members to join the North West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC) that has responsibility for promoting an understanding of flood risk, irrespective of cause: coastal, fluvial or surface water.

People with expertise in coastal processes, working with communities at risk, economics as well as development and planning are urged to find out more about the roles being recruited.

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

Adrian Lythgo, Chairman of the North West RFCC, said: “We all know how seriously floods affect individuals and communities. We have to be the best we can be at understanding risk so that in turn we can manage it across organisations. Membership of the RFCC is one way citizens in the region can help us – through their expertise or ability to speak broadly for communities at risk of flooding.”

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

The government appoints the committee’s chair. Local authorities appoint members, who offer local democratic representation, and the Environment Agency appoints members for their specialist skills. A number of these posts are being recruited now.

Over the 6-year period from 2015 to 2021, the government is investing £2.6 billion in flood and coastal erosion risk management schemes.

The Committee advises on and consents the programme of investment across the North West. Between 2015/16 and 2019/20 this represents a total investment of £319 million. This has come from government Grant in Aid (£283m), partnership funding contributions (£17m), and from the local levy on local authorities (£19m) which is set by the Committee.

Committee members do not receive a salary but expenses are paid. RFCCs meet four times a year with some additional work between official meetings to help progress the objectives set out in the RFCC’s Business Plan.

The deadline for applications is Friday 5 July 2019, with a selection event taking place during early September.

An application pack is available from NW-RFCC@environment-agency.gov.uk<mailto:NW-RFCC@environment-agency.gov.uk> or by telephoning Rachel Harmer on 020302 50946.