The Participation Problem

This is perhaps the fundamental problem in the whole area of flood risk, namely lack of participation of the stakeholders in local decision making. The Environment Agency has recently come to express this in their new flood strategy. They state:

"Flooding is a natural process - we can never stop it happening altogether. So tackling flooding is more than just defending against floods. It means understanding the complex causes of flooding and taking co-ordinated action on every front to reduce flood risk. This calls for long-term planning and truly 'joined-up' action from the full spectrum of partners, from policy makers to vulnerable communities." (EA website)

The UK has a democratic tradition of making land use planning decisions at a local level, following national guidelines. It is all very well for the insurance industry to lobby at a national level for better planning guidelines, but if actual decision making takes place at a local level, taking local economic and political pressures into account, it is here that stakeholders such as the insurance industry need to devote their attention. The author has extensive experience since 1995 in advocating insurance interests on a face to face basis with local planning authorities in Scotland and arguing the insurance case in meetings at which all the major stakeholders are present.

This high degree of participation in local decision making has been remarkably effective, and has resulted in the majority of local councils changing their strategy significantly. Almost all councils in Scotland have now adopted some or all of the full insurance template shown in Appendix 1.

If one person can have such an effect, imagine what would be the result if the insurance industry as a whole were to mobilise to influence all local councils with a flood hazard problem? There are no legal impediments to prevent councils in England and Wales from establishing participation groups along the lines of the Flood Advisory and Liaison Groups ("FLAGs") which have been so successful in Scotland . As climate change increasingly impacts on the flood hazard and as an increasing number of buildings are constructed in flood plains, near to flashy rivers, or on low lying coastal areas, firm action is becoming increasingly critical if insurers are to be able to provide flood cover in England and Wales .

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