Flooding

Sponsor

Tuesday 25th May 2010, One Great George Street - London, 08:50 - 14:00 (half day)

Tackling the Challenges of Flooding: The Way Forward

Overview

The experiences in England in the summer of 2007 made clear that the risk of flooding to many parts of the United Kingdom was serious, and imminent. The former government decided that if communities and first responders were going to mitigate this risk, and rise to the challenge, it would have to review the UK's capability to respond to natural emergencies.

As a direct result of the floods in 2007, Sir Michael Pitt was asked to lead an independent lessons learned review, examining both how to reduce the risk and impact of such flooding, and the emergency response itself. Sir Michael Pitt’s Interim Report, published in December 2007 stated that flooding legislation should be updated and streamlined under a single unifying Act of Parliament.

The Flood and Water Act is a reflection of Pitt’s recommendations.The Act will, among other outcomes, address all sources of flooding, clarify responsibilities and facilitate flood risk management. The Act will strengthen and extend existing flood and water legislation including implementing appropriate recommendations from the Pitt and the former government’s Water Strategy 2008 ‘Making Space for Water’.

The Act will create a simpler, more effective regime for flood and coastal erosion risk management, and will introduce measures for the improved sustainability of water resources including the avoidance of water scarcity.

One key outcome of the official response to the Pitt Review has been the new Flood Forecasting Centre, a joint initiative of the Environment Agency and the Met Office. By combining the knowledge and experience of the Met Office and Environment Agency, there will be a big improvement in the ability to produce earlier flood alerts and more accurate, targeted information to emergency services, local authorities and utility companies. In addition to this, the Environment Agency has continued its work to improve flood defences and 433,000 people have signed up to direct flood warning alerts, with 124,000 registering since 2007.

Agenda

This forum will explore how to mitigate the risk, and rise to the challenge of flooding caused by extreme weather, while reviewing this country’s capacity to prepare, respond and recover from natural emergencies, most notably:

08:50	Coffee and Registration
09:40	Opening Remarks by Chair Parmjit Dhanda, Former CLG Minister with responsibilities for Fire and Rescue Services (CONFIRMED)
09:45	Strategic Opportunities for Reducing Flood Risk The Environment Agency's role in planning and flood risk The strategic approach to development and flood risk Implementing the Recommendations of the Pitt Review How can local authorities enforce their given powers to protect new homes from flood risk Effectively applying flood planning rules at local level The Environment Agency’s new public awareness campaign ‘Floodwise’ Getting to hard-to-reach groups Tailoring the message for different audiences Craig Woolhouse, Head of Flood Risk Management, Environment Agency (CONFIRMED)
10:05	The Floods and Water Act Implications for the practical implementation of the Act's recommendations Progress made to date Preparing for the EU Floods Directive first stages Next steps David Lees, Flood Emergencies Programme Manager, Defra (CONFIRMED)
10:25	Planning to Manage Flood Risks Identifying and using opportunities for reducing flood risk Managing flood risk by planning and design Successful collaboration to overcome the challenges in achieving design and planning consensus Best practice Rachael Hill, FCRM Strategic Development and Flood Risk Manager, Environment Agency (CONFIRMED)
10:45	Ordnance Survey - Relied on for Flood Mapping in Emergency Planning, Response and Recovery How we can support you with the additional responsibilities outlined in the Flood & Water Management Act Using geography to join up multi-agency planning, response and recovery Mapping for Emergencies Ian Carter, Strategic Development Manager, Ordnance Survey, Local Government Team (CONFIRMED)
11:00	Questions and Answers Session
11:20	Coffee and Networking
11:40	Warning and Informing the Public Overcoming communications problems caused by flooding and using new media tools Ensuring consistency in information and co-ordinating with the emergency services Lessons learned in preparing for emergencies Malcolm Weatherall, Met Office (CONFIRMED)
12:00	Effective Emergency Planning Strategies: Meeting the Challenges Ahead Working across services to ensure smooth delivery Working together to protect people, communities and the environment Strengthening the resilience of infrastructure Embedding an effective communication culture Building capability and enabling effective response through new technologies Roy Harold, Area Manager, Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service & Vice Chair, CFOA Inland Water Strategy Group (CONFIRMED)
12:20	Insuring Flood Risk Sites Overview of potential flood risks and their cost to the industry Developing strategies for flood management and developing flood risk assessment tools Developing planning and flood risks – challenges and solutions ABI’s recommended measures and designs – implementing their advice Nick Starling, Director of General Insurance and Health, Association of British Insurers (CONFIRMED)
12:40	Questions and Answers Session
13:00	Lunch and Networking
14:00	Close

*programme subject to change without notice

Sponsor

Ordnance Survey

Exhibitor

Richard Allitt Associates

Audience

Delegates will include directors and heads of resilience; disaster recovery; civil contingency planning; emergency planning; and business continuity; head of telecommunications; heads of preparedness and response; emergency responders; local emergency planning officers; police, ambulance and fire rescue officers; heads of environmental strategy; heads of & directors flood management; heads of water management; heads of utilities; heads of coastal strategy; strategic risk management directors; and operational risk managers and be drawn from central government, local authorities, police and other emergency services.

Flooding

Tuesday 25th May 2010, One Great George Street - London, 08:50 - 14:00 (half day)

Tackling the Challenges of Flooding: The Way Forward

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