Defra issued a consultation paper in early November setting out proposals to replace the Environment Agency statutory stakeholder engagement committees known as REPACs (Regional Environment Protection Advisory Committees) and RLFACs (Regional and Local Fishery Advisory Committees) with non statutory, local arrangements to enable ‘more proactive local engagement’ and ‘achieve greater local accountability’.
The NFU is currently represented, either through staff or member involvement, on REPACs. Our continued involvement in discussions and dialogue with the Environment Agency on the range of issues that it is responsible for, not least the delivery of the Water Framework Directive, is key.
Background and key proposals
The intention to abolish REPACs and RLFACs was first announced back in October 2010 but the Government is now consulting on the proposals for replacing these Committees.
• The Environment Agency has developed a number of ‘high level principles’ of engagement in discussion with the existing Committee Chairs and members, and with local and national stakeholder groups. To view these 'high level principles' click on Related Documents above this article.
• In addition, each Environment Agency Region has developed a model, with their existing Committees and through discussion with local stakeholders, for their approach to future engagement. See Annex D here. These models show the relationship between the various groups from national strategy through to local action and delivery. The models are region specific and are intended to evolve over time. Oversight of the new arrangements will be through the non Executive Board Members( who are each responsible for an Environment Agency Region) and through accountability of the Chief Executive and Director of Operations to the Environment Agency Board. There will also be feedback through the River Basin Liaison Panels.
The Government is minded to use the powers in the Public Bodies Bill to implement the proposals in relation to the abolition of the REPACs and the RLFACs.
Questions posed in Defra's consultation:-
1. Do consultees agree with the principle of abolition of the Environment Agency’s statutory REPACs and RLFACs and the establishment of flexible non-statutory arrangements?
2. Do consultees agree with the proposed high level principles against which to design future stakeholder engagement? Are there any gaps?
3. Do consultees support the more flexible and region specific approaches being developed to allow more engagement at the local level? Are there any gaps?
The full consultation details are available from the Defra website here. Defra's deadline for comments is the 23rd January 2012.
The NFU will be drafting a full and detailed response. Any views or comments from members should be sent to Diane.Mitchell@nfu.org.uk
No comments have been made.