Lord Smith - Environment Agency

[severnside gull]

I used to have some respect for Chris Smith but his performance as chair of the EA is beyond abysmal.
Showing his understanding of the suffering of people in Somerset by telling them he was proud of his agency's achievements in managing the flooding (while their homes were even further submerged, pumps failed, and dredging still wasnt prioritised) and pointedly refusing to apologise was as massive and misjudged a demonstration of the gulf between "government" and the people they pretend to represent as I have seen in a long time.
"Call me Dave" rolling up for a soundbite whilst avoiding having to talk to any of the residents was equally abject.
Not a party political rant.
Shameful and shambolic on all counts!

 

[El Sid]

EA is only a 3 day a week job for Smith (6 figure salary).

I believe he has other interests......

 

[Bry Nylon]

5 or 10 years ago there used to be all these documentaries and dramas on TV, showing what Britain will be like in 5 or 10 years when half of it is underwater.

5 or 10 years later and half of Britain is underwater and everybody seems shocked and pissed off.


BTW did I mention my flooded shed (****ing good golf clubs they were)

 

[Jim in the West]

As a resident of Somerset (fortunately to the east of the main problems) I agree 100%. If this sort of thing was happening in or around London, there is no way the likes of Cameron and Smith would get away with their shocking ineptitude. Because it's happening in Somerset they think we're all six-fingered country bumpkins who don't count. Plus, we have crap broadband, crap bus services, and crap roads. No wonder most people hold politicians and their ilk in such contempt....

 

[Geriatric Seagull]

Politicians held responsible for failure in their departments and resign- you must be joking! They are all in it for what they can take out and certainly not what they can give. There is barely an honourable one in any party.

 

[beorhthelm]

Politicians held responsible for failure in their departments and resign.

while the PR responce to the flooding has been appaling, how exactly have they failed? was the enviroment agency supposed to stop the rain for a month?

 

[Geriatric Seagull]

while the PR responce to the flooding has been appaling, how exactly have they failed? was the enviroment agency supposed to stop the rain for a month?

Is he not ultimately responsible for his department? Are you saying that PR in the environment agency is not the responsibility of the environment agency? It appears Smith is prepared to take the salary as its head but not any responsibility when any aspect of it fails. Presumably he just sees himself as a publicly supported charity!

 

[Diego Napier]

Politicians held responsible for failure in their departments and resign- you must be joking! They are all in it for what they can take out and certainly not what they can give. There is barely an honorable one in any party.

Surely this can't be right? Don't they all refer to one another in the House of Commons as "the honourable" or "the right honourable"?

 

[Geriatric Seagull]

Surely this can't be right? Don't they all refer to one another in the House of Commons as "the honourable" or "the right honourable"?

Yes, but that's when they're in the queue to hand in their expenses!!!!

 

[Superseagull]

Think I heard on the radio that when he turned up a week or two back he did not even bring his wellies.

Rule No.1 when walking round a flood hit area = bring wellies suitable footwear.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I think that was the Environment Minister - different person

 

[Sloe Joe]

Total **** - he is responsible - how would he react if his under threat from flooding.
All politicians and civil servant are twats.
No reason to vote at all for twats basically.

 

[Stoo82]

Here's a thought, don't build on floodplains, as they flood when it rains alot.

 

[folkestonesgull]

The environment agency's budget has been decimated in the last 4 years, farmers have been paid to clear hillsides to create grassland, speeding up runoff and the environment cretary of state is a climate change denier. I think it's a bit much to blame the EA....

 

[clapham_gull]

The environment agency's budget has been decimated in the last 4 years, farmers have been paid to clear hillsides to create grassland, speeding up runoff and the environment cretary of state is a climate change denier. I think it's a bit much to blame the EA....

Yes. Not an expert in this area (I know nothing) but someone I know very much is.

Their view...

The agency is not a department and it's had it's budgets slashed.

Highly convenient to blame an "at arms length" quango dependent on finance from the government.

 

[severnside gull]

Yes. Not an expert in this area (I know nothing) but someone I know very much is.

Their view...

The agency is not a department and it's had it's budgets slashed.

Highly convenient to blame an "at arms length" quango dependent on finance from the government.

Entirely take your point.
My ire is with the individuals and the cavalier attitude which seems inherant to politicians that they should accept no criticism and hear no voices against them (unless it is an opportunity to pass blame to "the other side").

They appear universally disconnected from their (in the widest sense) constituents.

I think perhaps that I despise them as much as they transparently despise all but their closest acolytes.

 

[HovaGirl]

Here's a thought, don't build on floodplains, as they flood when it rains alot.

Indeed, and don't concrete over seafronts to create lovely promenades, marinas and off-shore islands, as all that displaced water will also have to find somewhere to go. Up a river near you.

 

[Notters]

I'm sorrry but I massively disagree. Only approximately 1,500 homes in the UK Have been affected by flooding in the last year, whereas as 430 people die from cancer every day and a similar number suffer from dementia. People who live in floodplains should expect to be flooded. It isnt worth spending millions on protecting a very small minority of people. This money should all be spent on fighting these horrific diseases. Im sorry if this upsets anyone but, as an environmental consultant who benefits from government spending on flooding and carbon emissions reduction, I think there are better things to spend money on.

If you're buying a house, look on the Environment Agency's "what's in your back yard" website and do not buy a house ing a floodplain, on a former landfill site, etc, etc.

 

[Notters]

As a resident of Somerset (fortunately to the east of the main problems) I agree 100%. If this sort of thing was happening in or around London, there is no way the likes of Cameron and Smith would get away with their shocking ineptitude. Because it's happening in Somerset they think we're all six-fingered country bumpkins who don't count. Plus, we have crap broadband, crap bus services, and crap roads. No wonder most people hold politicians and their ilk in such contempt....

It sounds really harsh but the powers that be have to undertake a cost-benefit analysis. If central London flooded, millions of homes and businesses would be destroyed and the country would come to a standstill. In a similar way, the EA continue to protect Seaford, some of which IS below sea level, but they wont protect the 3/4 houses at Birling Gap, because protecting those houses would cost tens of millions of pounds and have little human benefit, plus cause substantial environmental harm. However harsh that may be on the people that live in those houses. Fortunately, there are huge amounts of legislation which ensure that any significant development requires detailed environmental impact assessment before planning permission can be granted.

 

[Husty]

I'm sorrry but I massively disagree. Only approximately 1,500 homes in the UK Have been affected by flooding in the last year, whereas as 430 people die from cancer every day and a similar number suffer from dementia. People who live in floodplains should expect to be flooded. It isnt worth spending millions on protecting a very small minority of people. This money should all be spent on fighting these horrific diseases. Im sorry if this upsets anyone but, as an environmental consultant who benefits from government spending on flooding and carbon emissions reduction, I think there are better things to spend money on.

If you're buying a house, look on the Environment Agency's "what's in your back yard" website and do not buy a house ing a floodplain, on a former landfill site, etc, etc.

I disagree with you again, those diseases you list are diseases of age, I would rather we continue to fight infectious disease around the world and invested more money into our quality of life rather than trying to stick another 5 years on the national average