Environment Agency, Natural Environment Research Council and LEPs to give evidence to Lords Seaside Towns Regen Committee

The first panel will focus on coastal erosion and flood risk, while the second focuses on the role of local enterprise partnerships (LEPs).

At 3.20pm the Committee will hear from Catherine Wright, Director of Digital & Skills (Flood & Coastal Risk Management) at the Environment Agency and Dr Ned Garnett, Associate Director Research at the Natural Environment Research Council.

Questions the Committee is likely to ask them include:

• How big a threat is coastal erosion and flooding to seaside towns and communities?
• Is sufficient funding available to tackle the effects of coastal erosion?
• How can spending on coastal defences deliver better value for money?
• How does the approach taken by local authorities to coastal defence schemes vary? Can this be improved?
• What is being done to improve the quality of the bathing water around seaside towns? How important is this for the tourism offer of seaside towns?
  

At 4.10pm the Committee will hear from Adam Bryan, Managing Director of South East LEP and Jonathan Sharrock, Chief Executive of Coast to Capital LEP.

Questions the Committee is likely to ask them include:

• How can LEPs help seaside towns to diversify their economies and support regeneration in coastal areas?
• What level of focus do LEPs give to the needs of seaside towns – and are they more focused upon cities and major urban centres?
• How might coastal towns and communities benefit from the proposed Shared Prosperity Fund?
• How could changes to public funding better support longer-term planning and foster more sustainable regeneration in coastal areas?
• What consideration should be given to seaside towns and coastal communities during the development of Local Industrial Strategies?
  

These evidence sessions, which are open to the public, will begin at 3.20pm on Tuesday 11 December 2018 in Committee Room 2A of the House of Lords.