Nice to see the Environment Agency boss is finally back from his Carribean holiday

[Herr Tubthumper]

Heard on the radio that esp in the York area THE ROMANS knew about the flooding. Seems we just dont learn lessons. So as far as York is concerned I blame the Romans, I meam what have they ever done for us apart from the roads , sanitation,irrigation, medicine, education...

I salute the Romans. Oh, hold on......

 

[Bozza]

That's fine. I have no issue with this per se. In fact I'd encourage an environmental minister to champion remote working.

The issue for me is saying how he vowed to be the "public face" if there was a repeat of the floods of 2012-13 or 2013-14, adding that he would 'show great interest, care, visit, turn up in wellingtons and so on very early on... [to] take some of the heat out of it". He didn't do any of this. In fact I'm not aware of any visibility, messages or activity over the holiday period. At least Cameron stepped into the breach and showed some interest and support.

I'm not saying it's right or wrong. I've no strong feelings on it either way.

But as someone who, like you, often works remotely I'm well aware that is eminently practical to be fully operational when geographically distant.

I think there is some value in popping up on the front line, so to speak, but I'm also well aware that will make little practical difference to the situation nor those impacted by it. It looks lovely on the 10 o'clock news though, I'm sure.

Finally you did say you would expect him to cut short his holiday. I have now read the Daily Mail piece of sensationalist shit that you linked to, and even that acknowledges that he has changed his plans and cut short his trip to come back. They put it near the bottom, of course, because it detracts from their story.

 

[ack]

There a whole dept to oversee floods, why should he cut short a fam hol. How many of the bleating masses would rush home if their web site crashed, or latest machine broke down.?
Total sensationalist headlines. Shite happens and nobody can change that .

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I have now read the Daily Mail piece of sensationalist shit that you linked to

Here's the balanced Guardian report of events http://www.theguardian.com/environm...returns-from-caribbean-holiday-amid-criticism

 

[Soulman]

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I think there is some value in popping up on the front line, so to speak, but I'm also well aware that will make little practical difference to the situation nor those impacted by it. It looks lovely on the 10 o'clock news though, I'm sure.

It will make those stranded in make-shift shelters and reliant on others feel cared about now and in the future when the rescue period is over and recovery begins. I personally think there is a wealth of value in some seemingly simple acts. Sometimes just turning up and showing you care makes all the difference.

 

[Bozza]

So, the real story is that he has two homes - one in the UK and one in Barbados, as he has a Barbadian wife.

He visited Cumbria on December 14th, before travelling to Barbados.

He has cut short his planned stay in his second home to return to the UK.

Finally, The Guardian are believed to have produced a balanced report events about a previous advisor of David Cameron.

Can we move on from this non-story now?

 

[crookie]

Probably the last thing the people on the ground dealing with it is politicians or the Chairman turning up, they'll just get in the way. Makes for good press I suppose but won't serve any practical purpose.

 

[W.C.]

Out of interest, what decisions do you think could have been taken differently just because he was sat in an office in London rather than in the Caribbean?

Nothing. But he's the top man. You take the responsibility that your job involves.
Would you continue a holiday in the same circumstances?

 

[beorhthelm]

not when its dormant in the middle of winter. it isnt much help when the ground is deluged with millions of gallons of water, unless you want to remove all houses and farms across England. suggest not using internet memes to make an argument.

 

[Soulman]

not when its dormant in the middle of winter. it isnt much help when the ground is deluged with millions of gallons of water, unless you want to remove all houses and farms across England. suggest not using internet memes to make an argument.

"suggest not using internet memes to make an argument."

Not an argument, a point that i feel is valid, though thanks for your advice.

 

[glasfryn]

its a wonder to me that we have gone 50 posts and nobody has yet blamed JC for this

 

[pastafarian]

It's the government's job to keep us safe and secure. And they have wilfully neglected the flood defences.

No they havnt
There are plenty of flood defence projects around the globe we are funding with tax payer dosh.

Stop being such an insular Little Englander

 

[Notters]

400 properties to be built next to river in Lewes......Insurance companies will not be falling over themselves to take these properties on BUYERS BEWARE

They're building a big new flood defence scheme too.

 

[beorhthelm]

"suggest not using internet memes to make an argument."

Not an argument, a point that i feel is valid, though thanks for your advice.

the problem is it isnt valid, it take half a fact and applies it to a situation incorrectly to make an ill-informed political (green) point. if you had 20k trees they might soak up 6" of rainfall over a few days in the middle of summer. this amount of water, in volume and short time scale, though wouldnt be dented.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

No they havnt
There are plenty of flood defence projects around the globe we are funding with tax payer dosh.

Stop being such an insular Little Englander

"Research by the official House of Commons library found that the amount spent on flood defences between 2007 and 2011 was £2.37billion, while the amount spent between 2011 and 2015 will be £2.34billion - a £247million cut in real terms."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/pol...fence-cash-cut-by-250m-despite-PMs-claim.html

This cut, is neglect.

 

[cheshunt seagull]

Working at a senior level in a public service there is an expectation that you will be on call at times of exceptional emergency even if you are on leave. It is hard to understand how anyone in such a position could continue to enjoy their cocktails by the pool with something like this going on. We have had a number of people where I work that have joined from the private sector who have really struggled with this concept as their only commitment seems to have been to their own bank balances.

 

[Soulman]

the problem is it isnt valid, it take half a fact and applies it to a situation incorrectly to make an ill-informed political (green) point. if you had 20k trees they might soak up 6" of rainfall over a few days in the middle of summer. this amount of water, in volume and short time scale, though wouldnt be dented.

So you don't think cutting down trees and putting houses there instead, often on flood plains has anything to do with it then.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

So you don't think cutting down trees and putting houses there instead, often on flood plains has anything to do with it then.

Farmers don't help when they don't keep their drainage ditches clear.

 

[Dave the OAP]

I salute the Romans. Oh, hold on......

Accepted Hun!

This is a bit of a difficult one...if he booked the holiday 6 months ago, then to be honest he couldn't have anticipated that there would be the storms and flooding...and we all need holidays. It's a bit like the outrage when any politician goes on holiday whenever ...if he booked it the week before knowing full well that there was going to a destructive storm coming, then that is a tad crass of him.