In January 2025 cross-party think tank Policy Connect and the Westminster Sustainable Business Forum launched a new report in their Bricks and Water series – “Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Policy for a New Government’.
Following the wettest 24-month period on record for England, the latest Bricks and Water report examines how policymakers can improve flood and coastal erosion risk management to ensure both new and existing communities are sustainable, resilient to climate change, and able to support the Government’s targets for economic growth. It addresses the need to better protect homes, businesses, and infrastructure from flooding and coastal erosion amidst more frequent and destructive extreme weather events.
Mark Stratton is responsible for the leadership and management of the Policy, Environment and Research team at Coastal Partners. He is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Water & Environmental Management (CIWEM) and has a robust understanding of the disciplines that underpin sustainable coastal management. He is also an active member of the Southern Coastal Group and SCOPAC.
Mark writes: “As part of my role as the CIWEM FCERM Panel Chair I have been on the steering group of an inquiry by Westminster Sustainable Business Forum into FCERM policy, chaired by Ministers. This has been led by Policy Connect and the findings from the enquiry along with its recommendations for reform have now been published.
“I attended the January launch at the House of Lords and was invited to set out how the recommendations of the enquiry align with the needs of Local Authorities. Throughout the inquiry I have been feeding in the collective views from across the Coastal Partners service, the Southern Coastal Group and SCOPAC, the LGA Coastal SIG and the CIWEM Panel. The recommendations to new government in the report succinctly and accurately capture the challenges in our sector right now shining a light on the priority areas where we need to see urgent change (some of which we have been talking about for 5-10 years).
“They revolve around the need for planning policy reform, flood defence and maintenance funding, coastal change and adaptation and property flood resilience. Everyone on the steering group and all of the MP chairs and vice chairs agreed with the recommendations in the report. The hope is that the inquiry is used to influence and amend existing policy or shape new policy as it gets developed.
“Please do take some time to review the report, even if only the recommendations. But there is some great detail in each section which really brings to life the challenges we face as FCERM practitioners.”
Bricks & Water: Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Policy for a New Government
Published by Policy Connect, January 2025
Download the report (PDF)
