Consultation on the establishment of a Flood and Coastal Erosion Committee

The Environment Act 2016 granted Welsh Ministers the power to make regulations to abolish the current Flood Risk Management Wales (FRMW) Committee and establish a new Flood and Coastal Erosion Committee.

The intention is for this new committee to have a wide advisory role covering all flood and coastal risk management in Wales. To undertake this task effectively, it is important that its governance, representation and links with other organisations are fit for purpose.

The current FRMW Committee was originally set up to scrutinise and approve Environment Agencies Wales’ flood risk programme. However, since the creation of Natural Resource Wales (NRW) this duty is carried out by the NRW Board.

In addition, flood and coastal erosion risk management in Wales is wider than the responsibilities that fall into NRW’s flood risk management programme. The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 sets out the roles and responsibilities of all ‘Risk Management Authorities’ which in Wales includes NRW, the 22 local authorities who act as Lead Local Flood Authorities and highway authorities; internal drainage boards and water and sewerage companies.

External stakeholders including Network Rail and private landowners have a role in maintaining certain assets located on or near areas of flood or erosion risk. The delivery of the Welsh Government’s National Strategy for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management involves joint-working across a range of organisations including:

• Welsh Government,
• NRW,
• Local Authorities,
• Network Rail,
• Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water.

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