If any.
Minutes:
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The Chair informed the Panel that he had received correspondence from Councillor Devereux as below:
Colleagues, I note that at the 3rd January E&C, remarks are recorded about my involvement with the Environment Agency and seeking clarification of my current commitments.
Following my appointment to Cabinet in 2017 with the Environment Portfolio and my previous involvement as a Parish Councillor on the Wash East Coast Management Strategy (WECMS), I applied for the Nationally advertised post of Coastal Appointee to the Anglian (Central, now Great Ouse)Regional Flood and Coastal Committee. Following competitive Interview, I was appointed in 2018. The post is non remunerated but attracts EA approved out of pocket expenses for travel to meetings and is subject to governance arrangements similar to those applying in Local Government service.
I regret that I did not formally declare that I had been re-appointed to this post for another four years in August 2022.
The Coastal Appointee post involves me in a range of activities and meetings associated with the RFCC in furtherance of its objectives and purposes as can be seen on the Government Website and in the minutes and proceedings. Some of those activities overlap with the interests of BCKLWN. Coastal Responsibilities are defined through the national Flood & Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy and implemented through Shoreline Management Plans with SMP4 covering The Wash. The BCKLWN interest includes "WECMS" and 'The Hunstanton Coastal Management Plan' on which I worked as The BCKLWN Environment portfolio holder, with our Officer Team, including Dave Robson, Peter Jermany and Jade Kite, as well as with Cllr Long in both his BCKLWN Leadership (and Lead Local Flood Authority) and his NCC Risk Management Authority roles; and who is also a Member of the A(GO)RFCC.
These management arrangements have been in place for some years and implementation is proceeding well.
Arrangements for the Northern and Western coasts of the Wash, under control of The Anglian (Northern)Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (which covers Lincolnshire and parts of Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire, including the Nene, Welland, Withey and Wainfleet river catchments) are not as well developed as highlighted by the National Review conducted by the Environment Agency at a joint meeting in our Council Chamber in King's Lynn in late 2019. Together with BCKLWN Officers we established the need for a harmonised approach across the whole SMP4 area of The Wash. Cabinet and Council were advised at the time.
Progress towards this goal culminated last year in my Environment Agency Appointment as Co-Chair of the Wash Elected Members Governance Forum (For SMP4), together with the Chair of the A(N)RFCC, Eddie Poll. This was reported to the A(GO)RFCC meeting in October 2022. This role also has no pecuniary interests for me to declare.
At the October A(GO)RFCC I also reported that I had been made aware of Centre Port Tidal Power Barrage project as a potential project within its area of interest. As Environment Agency Coastal Appointee, I was obliged to inform the Committee of the prospect.
As stated in The Council of BCKLWN on 26th January, I declared that I have no legal nor pecuniary interest in Centre Port.
Were circumstances to change such that I did have such pecuniary interest I would be obliged to inform this Council and the Environment Agency and to respond accordingly.