Press release: River forecasts give Calderdale people flood risk information

A new service which allows people to get forecasts for river levels to help them manage their risk of flooding is available in the Calder Valley.

It is being provided by the Environment Agency on the website Gov.UK and shows a 36 hour forecast alongside observed data for the past 5 days. The service covers the River Calder at Walsden, Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd and Sowerby Bridge. The aim is to help people be more aware of risks and be able to plan for potential flood incidents.

Previously, people could view river levels for the previous 5 days, but now they can search by postcode on the river and sea levels service page and see what levels are expected to look like for these rivers over the next 36 hours. These new river forecasts are calculated by computer models that take into account data like current flows and expected rainfall.

The introduction of this service follows a successful pilot for people living in the community, including flood wardens, between March and June 2017. The plan is to continue to refine the service, based on feedback from users, before it is rolled out more widely in the future.

Forecast information can change quickly, often because of the weather, so people are still advised to sign up for our free flood warning service to get the most up-to-date and accurate situation. our flood warning service is updated every 15 minutes.

Why do residents find it useful?

Simon Hildon, from the Environment Agency’s flood resilience team in Calderdale, said:

We are always looking at ways to use technology to better share information with people. Residents have told us that they would find it really useful to see these river forecasts to help them manage their flood risk.

We want people to know if they’re at risk of flooding, be prepared, and take action to protect themselves and their families. A wealth of information is available on our website and we’d encourage everyone to check whether they’re at risk.

Mytholmroyd flood warden says river forecasts help them

Karl Boggis, one of the flood wardens in Mytholmroyd, said:

As flood wardens we use the river levels service to see what is happening at, not just, our measuring station, but also those up stream. Having the addition of the 36 hours of forecasted level, helps us better prepare and inform our community of what might be expected.

People who live in areas where the 36-hour river level forecasts are not available yet can still view data on river levels from the previous 5 days and check for flood warnings.

News story: Master and vessel owner fined £29,000 for fisheries offences

David Marr, master of UK registered fishing vessel Honeybourne III (PD905) and owner Macduff Shellfish (Scotland) Ltd. were sentenced at Worthing Magistrates Court on 24 November 2017 in a prosecution brought by the MMO.

The court heard how an inspection by MMO officers on 9 March 2017 found a quantity of scallops below the allowed minimum size in the catch of the Honeybourne III at Shoreham.

Both defendants entered guilty pleas. Macduff Shellfish was ordered to pay a £23,264 fine, £4,000 costs and a £170 victim surcharge. David Marr was ordered to pay a fine of £1,000, £375.50 costs and a £100 victim surcharge.

A spokesperson for the MMO said:

The court in this case considered these offences to be serious in nature and imposed significant penalties, which recognises the scale of offending that took place and the potential risk of these offences on stocks.

In these cases the MMO will always take the appropriate action, including prosecution, to ensure offenders do not profit from such illegal activity and to protect fish stocks for the wider fishing industry and future generations.

News story: Master and vessel owner fined £29,000 for fisheries offences

Master and vessel owner found guilty of fisheries offences in case brought by Marine Management Organisation (MMO)

The court heard how an inspection by MMO officers on 9 March 2017 found a quantity of scallops below the allowed minimum size in the catch of the Honeybourne III at Shoreham.

A spokesperson for the MMO said:

The court in this case considered these offences to be serious in nature and imposed significant penalties, which recognises the scale of offending that took place and the potential risk of these offences on stocks.

In these cases the MMO will always take the appropriate action, including prosecution, to ensure offenders do not profit from such illegal activity and to protect fish stocks for the wider fishing industry and future generations.

Guidance: Classifying waste wood from mixed waste wood sources: RPS 207

Updated: The Environment Agency has extended this regulatory position statement until 30 September 2019.

If you comply with the conditions in this regulatory position statement (RPS), you do not need to apply a hazardous waste classification for waste wood from mixed waste wood sources.

This RPS will be withdrawn on 30 September 2019. This will give the waste wood industry time to do both of the following:

deliver a code of practice which meets the legal requirements to assess and classify waste wood as approved by the Environment Agency
implement compliance with that code of practice

Press release: Millions more in support for hurricane-hit Overseas Territories

Leaders from 11 British Overseas Territories will meet in Downing Street on Tuesday 28 November at the start of their annual Joint Ministerial Council meeting where Prime Minister Theresa May will confirm a new £70 million package of recovery and reconstruction support for British islands hit by recent, devastating hurricanes.

This new, long-term support will add to the UK’s continued efforts to help the region recover and rebuild in the wake of hurricanes Irma and Maria, which affected more than two million people. It will be supplemented by up to £300 million of UK loan guarantees, for territories that need support to access finance.

At today’s meeting, the Prime Minister will invite Territory leaders to speak of their experiences in the hurricanes and to discuss progress already made. Leaders of Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands and Turks and Caicos, the worst impacted British territories, will be among those in attendance.

While substantial progress has been made already in the region, the UK is committed to supporting long-term reconstruction efforts so that each overseas territory can continue its important work of recovering essential services such as schools, medical facilities and ports, as well as power and water supplies.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, the Prime Minister said:

I am pleased to welcome leaders of the Overseas Territories to Downing Street today, as they begin regular consultations with their counterparts in the UK Government. I see this as a mark of the strong and enduring partnership that exists between us.

This set of meetings is not only a chance to work together on our shared priorities, but also to hear directly from those territories who suffered from Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

This new £70 million package of support demonstrates the UK’s ongoing commitment to help its Overseas Territories as they get on with the difficult work of recovery.

When the first hurricane struck, the UK responded immediately, supplying humanitarian aid and disaster response expertise to the area. We have continued to provide support since then, having already committed £92 million to the region-wide relief effort to date.

The Prime Minister will also take the opportunity today to update leaders on the progress of our discussions with the European Union as we prepare to leave, and to invite leaders to express their views so we can ensure they are properly reflected in our strategy for Brexit negotiations.