06/05/05
Water UK has responded to the Environment Agency river basin management consultation, Water for Life and Livelihoods.
Water UK welcomes the aspirations expressed in the consultation and would like to see rapid progress in engaging delivery partners, other stakeholders and the public.
Four key issues need to be properly addressed in the next stages of development of River Basin Planning Strategy for the Water Framework Directive:
• Agency strategy should include a plan that identifies the scope of work needed for the milestones, resources and inputs required by the Agency itself, external stakeholders and delivery partners. This would enable better planning and resourcing on all sides.
• A commitment by the Agency to take the contributions of others fully into account. A formalised WFD Independent Consultation Review Panel for key deliverables that ensures that key issues are not ignored, would provide confidence and encourage proper engagement in achieving objectives of the Directive.
• The Agency should allow adequate time and resources to take into account stakeholders' contributions. Its outputs should be planned to allow deliverables to be re-worked where necessary.
• The River Basin Planning process must be a genuine means of seeking collaborative solutions and ownership of improvements to the water environment for the benefit of society and the economy.
Ends
For more information please contact:
Steve Ntifo, Environment and Scientific Adviser
020 734 1822
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