Reimagining the Levels, - Sussex Wildlife Trust · climate change) are properly recognised and...

ReimaginingtheLevels,

MakingtheConnections

AProspectusforRevitalisingandSafeguarding

theLandscapesandCommunitiesinthe

CatchmentoftheSomersetLevelsandMoors

October2016

i

ReimaginingtheLevels–MakingtheConnections

AProspectusforRevitalisingandSafeguardingtheLandscapesand

CommunitiesintheCatchmentoftheSomersetLevelsandMoors

Contents

Introduction.............................................................................................................................1

ReportStructure.......................................................................................................................2

TheLevelsandMoorsCatchment.............................................................................................2

ThePressuresforChange-TimeforNewThinking....................................................................4Socialchange:Publicengagementandparticipationinpolicy....................................................4Physicalchange:TheClimate......................................................................................................5Politicalchange:Brexit................................................................................................................7Economicchange:Thefoodsupplychain...................................................................................8Lower-levelpressingissues.........................................................................................................9

OurVisionfortheFutureandtheObjectivesneededtoachieveit..........................................10OurObjectivesforaReimaginedLevelsCatchment.................................................................12ConnectingPeople–Improvingunderstandingandaccountability..........................................12ConnectingtheLandscape–Enhancingnaturalsystems,productivityandbeauty..................12ConnectingtheEconomy–Developingsupplychainsforlivelihoods,healthandwellbeing....13Ourspatialvisionforlanduseandmanagement......................................................................13

OurRecommendationsforAction...........................................................................................15A.TheSomersetRiversAuthority.............................................................................................15B.Supportforfarming,foodandtheenvironmentpost-Brexit...............................................17C.Communityrepresentationonissuesaffectingtheenvironment,landandwater.............18

SourcesandInspirations.........................................................................................................20

Coverphotograph:LookingsouthfromthePoldenHillsacrossKing’sSedgemoortowardstheFiveheadRidge

Reportpreparedbythe‘ReimaginingtheLevels’group,withfinancialsupportfromthe

WessexReinvestmentTrust.Research,facilitationandreportdraftingbyRuralFocus

www.rural-focus.co.uk.Forprojectreportsandupdatessee:www.reimaginingthelevels.org

Forfurtherinformation,contact:RobinMewes([email protected])

Versioncontrol:Finalversionofthemainprojectreport,completed18thOctober2016


1

Introduction

This report has been prepared by a group of peoplewho live on the Somerset Levels andwho are

active in a range of community-based organisations. Between us we have a broad range of

professionalexperienceoftheissuesfacingtheareaandastrongpersonalinterestinitsfuture.

Our initialmotivation for this reportwas

the growing threats that face the Levels

andMoors from future river andmarine

flooding.Thewinterfloodingof2013/14

ledtorenewedactivityandaprogramme

ofworksuchasSomerset’s20-YearFlood

Action Plan and the laudable Hills to

LevelsProject.Butwefeltthatthefocus

of this work was too narrow, too short

term and not sufficiently accountable to

the people who will be affected, and

ultimatelybeexpectedtopayforit.

There is a pressing need for a more joined-up approach that looks at the causes and solutions to

floodingacross theentirecatchment, thatpromotes thesocialandeconomicopportunities thatwill

arisefrombetteradaptedlanduse,andthatseekstoengageallthecommunitiesaffectedbyflooding

inthisfuture.

The Brexit referendum,which took placemid-way through this project,will have dramatic and far-

reaching implications for the Levels and Moors Catchment, not least in how the countryside is

managed.ItistooearlytopredictpreciselyhowBrexitwillchangefoodproduction,farmingsupport,

environmental protection and rural development. However,webelieve that these changesprovide

theidealopportunitytoadvocateanewvisionforrurallanduseanditseconomyinthecatchment.

Responding to these drivers of change,we believe strongly in amore socially, environmentally and

economically sustainable future for thecountrysideandcommunitiesof thecatchment. This report

proposes a future in which the many services or benefits that our landscapes provide to society

(includingtheproductionofnutritiousfood,storageoffloodwater,accesstonature,andmitigationof

climatechange)areproperlyrecognisedandrewarded.Itisafutureinwhichtheeconomicbenefitsof

providingtheseservicesareretainedandsharedequitablywithinthearea.Anditisafuturethatlocal

people feel they have a stake in, helping to determine the priorities for social and economic

developmentandenvironmentalprotection.

Thetitleofthisreport‘ReimaginingtheLevels–MakingtheConnections’emphasisestheneedfor

joined-upthinking.Thereportthereforeseekstomaketheconnectionsbetweenhowwemanage

theupperandmiddlecatchmentsandthefloodingthatoccursinthelowercatchment;betweenthe

food purchasing decisions of local consumers and the livelihoods and productionmethods of our

farmers;andbetweentheorganisationsthatregulateandsupportlandandwatermanagementand

thepeoplewhoareaffectedbytheirdecisions.

Thegroupwhopreparedthisreport

Lefttoright:PaulSander-Jackson,MartinStanley,SteveMewes,PhilStone,AdrianTait,DavidBanwell,SarahSander-JacksonandRobertDeane.RobinMewesisnotpictured.


2

ReportStructure

Thisreport issplit intofoursections. Westartbydescribingtheprojectareaandthenexaminethe

pressuresforchangeandchallengesfacingthearea.Wesetoutourvisionandobjectivesformaking

theconnectionsneededto‘ReimaginetheLevels’andweconcludewithasetofrecommendationsfor

considerationbypublicbodiesandlocalcommunities.ThereportissupportedbyaTechnicalAnnex,

available separately

1

, that providesbackground information anddata analysis. Relevant sectionsof

thisAnnexareindicatedinthisreportbyaboxinthemargin,asshownhere.

TheLevelsandMoorsCatchment

Sinceoneoftheprimaryissuesforthisprojectisthethreatofflooding,itwasanobviousdecisionto

definetheprojectareabytherivercatchmentsthatdrainontotheLevels. Theserivers, theParrett

and itstributariessouthofthePoldenHills,andtheAxeandBrueandtheirtributariestothenorth,

drainanarea2,464km

2

insize.Thewatershedthatbordersthisarearuns,clockwisefromtheNorth,

alongtheMendipHills,thePenselwood,CortonandWindwhistleridges,theBlackdown,Brendonand

QuantockHillsandalongthecoastofBridgwaterBay.ThisgeographyismappedinFigure1.

The Catchment is home to over half a million people, living in over 200,000 households

2

. Three

quartersofthesepeopleliveintownsandnearlyhalfliveinthefourlargesttownsofWeston-super-

Mare,Taunton,YeovilandBridgwater

3

.

1

TheTechnicalAnnexcanbedownloadedfromwww.rural-focus.co.ukduringOctoberandNovember2016andthereafterfrom

www.reimaginingthelevels.org

2

Precisefigures,basedonanalysisofcensusoutputareasfromthe2011census(ONS)cuttothecatchmentboundary,are516,843residentsin

222,593households.

Figure1.Topography,riversandmainsettlementsoftheLevelsandMoorsCatchment

Annex1.1

Annex2.1

Annex6.1


3

The landscapesand landusesof theCatchmentarevariedanddistinctive, fromthe flatwetlandsof

theLevelsandMoors,therollingmixedfarmingtotheeastandsouth,andrisingtouplandheathland

andwoodlandontheMendip,QuantockandBlackdownHills.TheLevelsareinternationallyimportant

for theiroverwinteringbirdsandareoneof the largestareasofwet lowlandpasture in theUKand

theycontainlargeareasofpeatsoilswhichareanimportantstoreoforganiccarbon(Figure2below).

Figure2.Landuse,theenvironmentandnaturalbeauty

Agricultureisthedominantlanduse,accountingforaround79%ofthelandarea.Around3,000farm

businessesemploysome7,500people,3,600ofthemfull-time.Nearlythreequartersoffarmlandis

pasture,grazedbyaround200,000cattleand210,000sheep.Mostoftherestiscroppedwithcereals

(11%offarmland),maize(6%)andothercrops(6%)

4

.Woodlandcoversabout6%oftheCatchment.

Thecharacterofthelandscapeinwhichpeopleliveisanessentialelementinwhatgivesthemtheir

senseofplaceandbelonging.DistinctivecharacteristicsincludetheflatgrazingmarshesoftheLevels

andMoorspopulatedbycattleandsheepandasummersoundtrackofwadingbirdssuchascurlew

andlapwing,distantskylineviewstohillssuchasBurrowMumpandGlastonburyTor,windingrural

lanesconnectingvillagesandhamletsconstructedofblueliaslimestone,sandstoneorhamstoneand

pocketsofciderorchards.

TheCatchmentincludesarichvarietyofwildlife,particularlywadingbirds.Nearlyaquarterofthe

areaisclassifiedas‘PriorityHabitat’and15%isdesignatedasSitesofSpecialScientificInterest

includingtheinternationallyimportant6,400haSomersetLevelsandMoorsSpecialProtectionArea.

OtherlargedesignatedsitesoccurontheMendips(limestonegrassland,woodlandandcavesystems),

QuantockHills(woodlandandheathland)andalongtheeasternsideofthePoldens(meadowsand

pastures).

PartsoftheLevelsareunderlainbyaround200millioncubicmetresofpeatsoils,covering20,000ha

andstoringanestimated3.7milliontonnesofcarbon

5

.

‘Murmurations’ofstarlingsareacharacteristicandinspiringsightontheLevels©VisitSomerset

3

ThesefiguresusetheGovernment’sUrban-RuralclassificationofcensusoutputareasintheCatchment.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/rural-urban-definition

4

Source:AnalysisofDefraJuneAgriculturalSurveydatafor2013

5

Brown,A.G.(2009).CarbonstorageandsequestrationintheSomersetLevelsUK.ReporttoSomersetCountyCouncil.November2009.

Annex5.1

Annex4


4

ThePressuresforChange-TimeforNewThinking

The Levels and Moors and their catchment contain much that is special, and which we have an

obligationtofuturegenerationstoprotect.Changehoweverisinevitableand,ifplannedfor,maybe

desirable.Itisthereforeessentialthatweunderstandandanticipatetheforcesthatwillbringabout

thosechanges,andthatweareboldinrespondingtothem.

Here, we highlight four fundamental pressures for change that will affect the Levels and Moors

Catchment. The first of these is social, the second is physical, covering climate change, the third

politicalandthelastiseconomic.Attheendofthissection,afterexaminingthese‘highlevel’forces,

wedescribesomeofthemoreimmediateissuesthatneedattention.

Socialchange:Publicengagementandparticipationinpolicy

Eventsacrosstheglobeinthelastfewyearshaveshownthatthereisawideninggulfbetweenpolicy

makers and the general public, fuelling a growing lack of trust in decision-making processes. The

reactionofmanyofthecommunitiesontheLevelsandMoors(whohavealwayshadanindependent

spirit) to the flooding in 2013/14 showed a lack of confidence in the decisions being taken by the

EnvironmentAgencyand localauthorities toprotect them

6

. In response, someof thepublicbodies

havesoughttoconsultmorewidelyandcommunicatetheirproposalsinlesstechnicallanguage

7

.

However, thereare limitedmechanismsavailable to local communities, including those in thewider

Catchmentwhomaybecalledontopay for floodriskmanagement, togive theirviews. TheLevels

andMoorsPartnership(LAMP)anditspredecessortheLevelsandMoorsCountrysideforumprovided

a representative and accountable setting for

discussionabouttheareaforover15yearsbefore

LAMP was ended in 2005. The Somerset Rivers

Authority (SRA), which was created in 2015,

promises more locally devolved and coordinated

decision-making but its decision-making Board is

dominatedbyappointedauthorities

8

.

There is an urgent need to ensure that the

communities in theCatchmentarewell informed

andthatorganisations,suchastheSRA,whichare

taking decisions on their behalf, are clearly

democratically accountable. We need to build

thesocialcapitalandnetworksintheCatchment,

ensuringthatallthekeygroupssuchaslandowners,residentsandbusinessesaresensitizedtothe

issuesandpotentialsolutions,andareabletoinfluencethedecisionsthatwillaffecttheirlives.

The conceptof ‘knowledge co-production’ is relevant anduseful here. In thehealth and social care

sectors,itisbeingusedtocreateamoreinclusivewayofworkingbetweenprofessionalsandcitizens,

withthebalanceofinfluenceshiftingfromtheprovidertowardstheuserofservices

9

.

6

www.flagsomerset.org.uk

7

SeeforinstancetheprogressreportsissuedbytheSomersetRiversAuthorityhttp://www.somersetriversauthority.org.uk/flood-risk-

work/progress-update-report/

8

http://www.somersetriversauthority.org.uk/about-us/somerset-rivers-authority-constitution/

9

Seeforinstance:http://www.coproductionscotland.org.uk/about/what-is-co-production/

TheSomersetRiversAuthorityreceivingapprovalfrom

EnvironmentSecretary,LizTrussinDecember2014.©Defra

Annex2.7

Annex6.4


5

Physicalchange:TheClimate

Theworld’schangingclimateisanexistentialthreattoallofus,buttherisingsealevelsandstormier

weatherpatternsposeacritical,life-threatening,challengetothepeopleandlandscapeoftheLevels

andMoors.Thenumberofdaysofheavyrain(exceeding25mm)areprojectedtoincreasebyafactor

ofbetween2and3.5inwinterbythe2080s.One-in-100yearfloodeventsarelikelytobecometwice

asfrequentbythe2050sandthreetofivetimesmorefrequentbythe2080s.Conservativeestimates

suggestaveragesealevelwill increaseby36cmoverthenext70yearsandbynearlyhalfameterby

2100

10

(someresearchsuggestsmuchhigherrisesinsealevel).

Weestimatethataround120,000peopleintheCatchmentlivelessthan10mabovemeansealevel,

thelargemajorityinthetownsofWeston-super-Mare,BridgwaterandBurnham-on-Sea,witharound

20,000peopleinlow-lyingvillages,hamletsandopencountryside.Ithasrecentlybeencalculatedfor

Somersetthat“approximately19,000propertiesareatriskfromsurfacewaterflooding”,withmostof

these being in inland towns like Taunton and Yeovil

11

. These and other towns like Langport and

Bridgwater are also at risk of flooding from tidal rivers. Perhaps at greater threat of harm are the

coastalcommunitiessuchasBurnham-on-Seawherefloodingfromtheseaisagrowingrisk.

FloodwatermanagementontheLevelscurrentlyreliesheavilyonengineeredsolutionssuchasraised

river banks, sluices and pumps. Rising water levels will make these increasingly expensive (and

potentiallyunviableonsomelow-lyingfarmland).UpstreamoftheLevels,thewaythatwatercourses

andsoilshavebeenmanagedoverthelast30yearshasexacerbatedsurfacewaterandriverflooding

12

(SeeFigure4),makingtheCatchmentlessresilienttotheeffectsofclimatechange.

Another likely consequenceof climate change is thatperiodsof summerdroughtwill becomemore

frequentandintense.Lowbaseflowsinriversandalowerwatertableriskdamagingwetlandhabitats

andpeatsoilsandreducingagriculturalproductivity.Periodsofhightemperatureswillincreaseheat

stressonpeople,animalsandplants.

Weneedtoexaminemorecloselythewaysthatrainfall,riversandgroundwateraremanagedover

thewholeoftheCatchmentsothatwearebetterpreparedforhighrainfalleventsandareableto

reduce the risk of damaging floods. We should enable river floodplains to perform their natural

function of holding back flood water (relying less on engineered solutions that require expensive

maintenance) and should ensure that watercourses and soils throughout the Catchment are in an

optimalstatetoabsorbrainfall.Wherenecessary,weshouldbeboldinplanningforradicalchangesof

landuseincertainareas,embracingtheopportunitiesthiswouldbring

13

.

Floodeventsliketheonethatoccurredinthewinterof2013/14willoccurmorefrequentlyandbecomemoresevere

10

TheUKClimateProjections2009producedbytheMetOffice’sHadleyCentrehttp://ukclimateprojections.metoffice.gov.uk.TheseareaverageUK

estimatesbasedonthemediumemissionsscenarioand50%probabilityestimate.

11

http://www.somerset.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/flooding/preparing-for-flood/

12

soilerodedfromthemiddleanduppercatchmentendsupfillingtheriverchannelsoftheLevels,fromwhereitneedstobedredged

13

Forinstance,enablingthecreationoflargewetlandsonthelowest-lyingareas,enablingnewformsoflandandwaterusesuchasfishfarming.

Annex2.2


6

We have an obligation to take our share of the global

response to reduce the man-made sources of climate

change. Homesandbusinesses in Somersetproducean

estimated 4.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, equiva-

lentto7.9tonnesperperson(seeFigure3totheleft)

14

.

TheGovernmenthascommittedtoreducingemissionsby

atleast80%in2050from1990levelsandtheCatchment

is already a significant producer of renewable energy

from‘solarfarms’(withacapacitytoproduce286Mwof

electricity, or the needs of around 40,000 homes). But

muchmoreneedstobedoneintheCatchmenttoreduce

emissionsfromtransport(theM5isresponsiblefor8%of

Somerset’s CO

2

emissions

15

) and from agricultural soils

andlivestock.

Thereappearstobelittlelongtermplanningtakingplace

locally to adapt to and mitigate climate change. The

CountyCouncil’s ‘RespondingtoClimateChange inSomerset’actionplanwasproduced in2008and

littleappearstohavebeendonetoactonit.Itisnowveryoutofdate.Inourview,theanalysisand

policiesaddressingthechangingclimateintheDistrictCouncil’sLocalPlansareunambitiousandgive

nosenseofurgencyofthechallengesweface.MostofthebudgetintheSomersetRiversAuthority’s

20-YearFloodAction isconcernedwithmaintainingexistingflooddefencesorcatchinguponunder-

investmentinrecentyears,withrelativelylittlefundingtoreducewaterrun-offandfloodgeneration

inaproactivemanner.

InviewofthedirectthreatsthatclimatechangeposestotheLevelsandMoorsCatchment,weneeda

fuller and more ambitious assessment of what public bodies, businesses, communities and

individuals canandshoulddo toadapt to severeweathereventsand flooding,andalso to takea

lead in reducingemissionsofgreenhousegases thatare causing climate change. Bydoing so, the

Levels andMoorsCatchment couldbecomeanational exemplar for local action tomeet this global

challenge.

Therewillneedtobesignificantchangesinthewayweconsumeandproduceenergy

14

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-local-authority-and-regional-carbon-dioxide-emissions-national-statistics-2005-2013

15

ibid.

Figure3.CO2emissionsinSomerset,2013

Source:www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-local-

authority-and-regional-carbon-dioxide-emissions-

national-statistics-2005-2013

Petrolanddieselusedfortransport,33%

Electricitygeneration-industry,17%

Electricitygeneration-domestic,

12%

Gas(industry&domestic),15%

Othersources,22%

Annex4.4


7

Politicalchange:Brexit

TheramificationsoftheUK’sdecisiontoleavetheEUwillbefeltinmanywaysand,amidthecurrent

uncertainty,it is likelythatpolicydecisionsthattheUKGovernmentwillmakeintwoareaswillhave

majorimpactsontheCatchment.

Thefirstofthesepolicyareascoversenvironmentalprotectionandcon-

servation which has been heavily influenced by EU regulations and

schemes.TheLevelsandMoorscontainoneofthelargestareasoflow-

landwetgrasslandinnorthernEurope,6,500haofwhichisprotectedas

a Special Protection Area under the EU Birds Directive (part of the EU

Natura2000network). TheEUWaterFrameworkDirective leadsmuch

of the work by the Environment Agency to improve river and ground-

waterquality.Thelargemajorityofthemoneypayingforenvironmental

conservation in the countryside comes from theEURuralDevelopment

Programme. These and other conservation measures are far from

perfect (for instancemanypeoplequestion theeffectivenessofagri-environment schemesandcon-

servationdesignations)and,givensufficientpoliticalwillandfunding,Brexitcouldprovidetheoppor-

tunity for improvements. We need a more joined-up ‘landscape scale’ approach to habitat

conservation and more ambitious ‘outcomes focussed’ incentives for farmers and landowners

(whichentrustfarmerswiththemeansofachievingarangeofpublicbenefits).

ThesecondpolicyareathatwillfacetheGovernmentfollowingBrexitconcernsthecontinuingincome

supportforagriculture.FarmingintheCatchmentisheavilyreliantonthesocalled‘Pillar1’payments

that all farmers receive andwithoutwhichmany cropping and livestock farmswouldbeunviable

16

.

Weestimatethat in2015, farmers intheCatchmentreceivedaround£33million in ‘Pillar1’ income

supportpayments(comparedtoanestimatedfarmgatevalueofagriculturalproductionintheCatch-

mentof£257million).

There isalreadytalk that theUKTreasurywill seek towithdrawthese ‘Pillar1’ incomesupportpay-

mentsafter2020,insteadfocussingonpaymentsforenvironmentalandotherpublicbenefits.More

incentivestoprovidesocalled‘ecosystemservices’onfarmlandwillcertainlybewelcome.Butthere

is a strong risk thatwithdrawal of farm income support, coupledwith a liberalisation of trade,will

accelerate the structural change in farming, favouring larger ‘factory farming’ businesses capableof

competingonworldcommoditymarkets.Webelievestronglythatthischangewouldbetothegreat

detrimentofthelandscapeandruralcultureoftheCatchment.Aswesayfurtherbelow,weneeda

new policy for farming and the environment in England that supports economically and

environmentallysustainablelandmanagement,fine-tunedtosuitlocalcircumstances.Wehopethat

theGovernment’sproposed’25-yearplanforahealthynaturaleconomy’

17

willachievethis.

ThereisafurthereffectofBrexitthatisworthconsidering.If,asseemslikely,‘Pillar1’paymentsare

withdrawnorsignificantreducedbytheTreasury,itislikelythatthevalueandviabilityofsomeagri-

cultural landontheLevelswill fall

18

. Thiscouldhaveanimpactonthecostbenefitanalysisofflood

drainage schemesprotecting farmland. Theeffects of potential falling agricultural landprices and

profitabilityneedstobefactoredintofloodriskmanagementplanningontheLevels.

16

http://farmbusinesssurvey.co.uk.SeeAnnex5.1formoreinformation.

17

Thiscommitmentwascontainedinthegovernment’sresponsetotheNaturalCapitalCommittee’sthirdStateofNaturalCapitalreportin

September2015.Thepublicationoftheframeworkforthe25-yearplanhasbeendelayeduntiltheendof2016asaresultoftheBrexitvote.

18

Itisacceptedbymanyeconomiststhatfarmincomepaymentshaveeffectivelybeencapitalisedbyfarmersintohigherlandprices.Seefor

instanceHelmD(2016).BritishAgriculturalPolicyafterBREXIT.NaturalCapitalNetwork–Paper5.1stSeptember2016

TheLevelswillnolongerbe

subjecttotheEUBirdsDirective

Annex4.2

Annex5.1


8

Economicchange:Thefoodsupplychain

Ourfinalpressureforchangeconcernswhathasbeenhappeningtotheeconomicsoffoodproduction

andconsumptionintheCatchment,mirroringchangesacrossthewesternworld.Thiscanbelinked,

bothtoadeclineintheviabilityoffarmingandanimpoverishmentofthelandscape,biodiversityand

naturalresources,butalsotoariseamongstconsumersinobesityandconditionssuchasdiabetes.

ThechangesindairyfarmingintheCatchmentoverthelast20yearsprovideagoodillustrationofthis.

As recently as1985, therewereover1,800dairy farms in Somerset, producingmilk fromgrass and

sellingthroughmanylocaldairiesandcheesemakers.Thepredominanceofgrassinthecows’dietis

importantsincethis isnowknowntogivemilkandmeathigh

levels of health-giving nutrients such as omega-3 fats, conju-

gatedlinoleicacidandVitaminE.Inthelast30years,theprice

ofmilkpaidtofarmershasfalleninrealtermswhiletheircosts

ofproductionhaverisensignificantly. Small farmershave left

thedairyindustryandlargerfarmershavecuttheircosts.They

haveintroducedmaizeandimportedfeedssuchassoyatothe

diets of their cows (feeds which lack the health benefits

describedabove).Theyhaveswitchedtohighvolumeproduc-

tion systemswhere there isusually less room forwildlifeand

landscapefeatures. Yieldshaveincreased(fromaround5,000

litres per cow a year in 1985 to over 7,000 today) but the

numberofdairy farms inSomerset fell from1,800 in1985 to

fewerthan500in2013andisprobably lessthan450today.Consumersnowbuymostoftheirmilk

(whichcancostlessthanbottledmineralwater)asanunbrandedcommodityfromsupermarkets.

19

Similarchangeshavetakenplaceinthelivestock(beefandsheep),arableandhorticulturalsectorsin

theCatchment.Thehigherinputandmorespecialisedagricultureadoptedbymostfarmersmaybe,by

somemeasures,more economically efficient. However, it takes no account of the hidden costs of

decliningsoilandwaterquality,fasterrun-offofrainfall,lossofwildlifeandablanderlandscape

20

.

Norhavemost farmersdonewell outof these changes. Their incomeshavenot risenby the same

amountastheiragriculturalyields.Asnotedabove,mostfarmsarereliantonthesupportpayments

they receive from theEUCommonAgriculturalPolicy. Their incomeshavebeensqueezedbetween

higherinputcostsandstagnatingordecliningpricesfortheirproducts.Moreofthevaluegenerated

on farmshasbeen takenby theagricultural supply industry (suchasagrochemical suppliers)andby

themultiplefoodretailers(thesupermarkets). Thismoneyhasbeenlostfromruralcommunities,at

thesametimeastheirlandscapeandecologyhasbeenimpoverished.

These economic pressures have seemed inexorable and if, as predicted above, the farm income

supportpaymentsfromtheEUarewithdrawn,theymaybeabouttoaccelerate.Newapproachesare

needed to support the types of farming that provide rural livelihoods and culture, a high quality

environmentandwholesomefood.Toachievethis,wenowneedaFarming,FoodandEnvironment

PolicyforEnglandthatpromoteshealthyandenvironment-friendlyfoods,strengthensdemandfrom

consumersandsupportsstrongandresponsivelocalsupplychains21.

AlocalfoodeconomythatsuppliesSomersetresidentswithadiverseandnutritiousdietfrommixed

farms in the Catchmentwould be an exemplar for other regions of theUK. The alternatives of an

industriallyfarmedlandscape,oronethathasbecomerun-downandabandoned,are,wesuggest,not

whatthepeopleofSomersetwanttosee.

19

ForafulleranalysisoftheissuesraisedinthisparagraphseeHarveyG(2016).GrassFedNation:Gettingbackthefoodwedeserve.IconBooks.ISBN978-1-78578-076-9.

20

Seeforinstance:Gravesetal(2011)ThetotalcostofsoildegradationinEnglandandWales.DefraScienceandResearchProjectSP160621

Asnotedonpage7,wehopethattheGovernment’sproposed’25-yearplanforahealthynaturaleconomy’willdeliverthis.

Dairy farmers protesting over low milkpricesnearBridgwater,2015

Annex5.2

Annex5.1


9

Lower-levelpressingissues

The fourpressures forchangedescribedaboveareall ‘high level’, requiring fundamentalchanges in

public policy and behaviour, some at a national level. However, there are other more immediate

issuesaffectingtheCatchmentwhichalsoneedattentionaspartofa‘ReimaginedLevels’,particularly

inrelationtofloodriskmanagement.SomeofthesearedescribedinFigure4,below.

Figure4.ImmediatepressingissuesintheCatchmentaffectingfloodriskmanagement

§ UnwillingnessofTreasury-fundedbodiestoconsiderpaymentstofarmersfortakingadditional

floodwater

22

,preventingfullerdiscussionaboutthemeritsofproactivefloodwaterstorageas

anadditionoralternativetohardengineeringsolutions.

§ LargelyunregulatedgrowingofmaizeintheCatchment,whichresearchinneighbouringEast

Devon

23

hasdemonstratedoftendamagessoilstructure,increasingerosionandsoilrunoff,

bothofwhichexacerbatefloodriskandincreasetheneedfordredging.

§ Awiderissueofpoorsoilquality(compactionandlowlevelsoforganicmatter)inlargeareasof

themiddleandupperCatchmentasaresultofarablecropping,whichincreasesthespeedof

soilrun-offandthelikelihoodofdownstreamflooding.

§ PoordecisionsbysomeLocalPlanningAuthoritieswhichcontinuetoallowdevelopmentin

locationsthatarelikelytoincreasefloodriskorwhichfailtorequireadequatedrainageand

floodmanagementinfrastructure.

§ Poormaintenanceofmuchurbanandruraldrainageinfrastructureduepartlytoalackofclarity

abouttheresponsibilitiesofdevelopersandthepublicauthoritiesandpartlybecauseof

resourcelimitationsattheCountyCouncil(asleadauthority).

§ UncertaintyoverthefuturefundingoftheSomersetRiversAuthority,particularlyinrelationto

itslongertermproactiveworktoaddressthecausesofflooding.Creatingamoreaccountable

andrepresentativegovernancestructuretotheSRAmustbepartofitsfuturefunding

arrangements.

PoorsoilmanagementinthemiddleandupperCatchment

increaseswaterrun-offandsiltationdownstream

Inappropriateplanningdecisionshaveledtodevelopmenton

flooplains,reducingtheareaavailabletostorefloodwater

22

ThisunwillingnessmaybeduetoTreasuryconcernaboutacceptingfinancialliabilityfortheimpactoffloodingfarmland.

23

ChantalBrownConsulting(2016).EastDevonRuralDiffusePollutionProject.ReportfortheEastDevonCatchmentPartnership.March2016.

Annex2.7

Annex4.5

Annex2.6


10

OurVisionfortheFutureandtheObjectivesneededtoachieveit

In the aftermath of the flooding in 2013/14, a Task Force that combined the interests of farmers,

environmental bodies and local authorities produced a nine-point vision for how they wanted the

LevelsandMoorstobein20years

24

.

Thereismuchthatweagreeaboutinthisvision.Itcallsfor“athriving,nature-richwetlandlandscape,withgrasslandfarmingtakingplaceonthemajorityoftheland.Theimpactofextremeweathereventsisbeingreducedbylandandwatermanagementinboththeuppercatchmentsandthefloodplainandby greater community resilience” and it envisages that “New businesses, including those based on‘green tourism’, have developed,meeting the needs of local people and visitors alike, while brandsbased on the area’s special qualities are helping farmers to add value to themeat,milk and othergoodsandservicesthattheyproduce”.

However,webelievethattheTaskForcevision,publishedinFebruary2014,doesnottakefullaccount

of the scale of challenges now facing the area, nor is it sufficiently ambitious about the potential

opportunities thatneedtoberealised. And it requiresupdating in the lightof the formationof the

SomersetRiversAuthorityandinanticipationofBrexit. Figure5,onthenextpage,addstotheTask

Force vision by describing some of the key changes that are needed to address the pressures for

changeoutlinedintheprevioussectionofthisreport.

Allvisionsofthiskindcansoundlike‘piein

the sky’ or fantasies of a future that can

never be achieved. In order to develop

concreteways in which this vision can be

taken forward, we suggest that there

should be three over-riding objectives for

action, each focussing on strengthening

connectionsindifferentdimensions.These

threesetsofobjectives,whicharelistedon

pages 12 and 13, aim to connect the

people, economy and landscape of the

LevelsCatchment.

Two concepts lie behind many of our

objectives. The first is the use of ‘Natural

FloodManagement’techniquesacrossthe

whole Catchment to supplement, and over time replace,many of the hard engineering approaches

used tomanage flood risk

25

. A key advantage of Natural FloodManagement is that it can provide

manyadditionalbenefits,suchastowaterquality,biodiversityandlandproductivity.

Thesecondconceptisthatof‘Bioregionalism’whichpromoteseconomiesandgovernancebasedon

naturally-defined areas such as catchments, encourages self-sufficiency within environmental limits

andpromotessocialequity(counteringtheconceptofglobalisation)

26

.

24

http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/details.aspx?id=361933

25

SeeSEPA(2015)NaturalFloodManagementHandbook.PublishedbytheScottishEnvironmentalProtectionAgency.ISBN:978-0-85759-024-4

https://www.sepa.org.uk/media/163560/sepa-natural-flood-management-handbook1.pdfThisdefinesNaturalFloodManagementasusing

“techniquesthataimtoworkwithnaturalhydrologicalandmorphologicalprocesses,featuresandcharacteristicstomanagethesourcesand

pathwaysoffloodwaters”.

26

SeeScottCatoM(2012).TheBioregionalEconomy:Land,LibertyandthePursuitofHappiness.ISBN:978-0415500821

ConnectingPeople

Improvingunderstandingandaccountability

ConnectingtheEconomy

Developingsupplychainsforlivelihoods,healthandwellbeing

ConnectingtheLandscape

Enhancingnaturalsystems,productivity

andbeauty

Seepages12

and13for

descriptionsof

these

objectives

Annex2.5

Annex6.3


11

Figure5.OurproposalsforwhataReimaginedLevelsCatchmentshouldlooklikein20years’time

TheabilitytocontrolwaterlevelsontheLevelshasbeenenhanced.Thebasisofwaterlevelmanagementonfarmlandhaschangedtoenable

floodplainstoperformtheirnaturalfunctionofholdingfloodwater

duringthewinter.

Streamsandwatercoursesinthemiddleandupper

catchmentaremanagedtofavournaturalisedchannel

profilesandtheaccumulationofwoodydebris,resultinginreducedpeakflowsandbetterriparianandwaterhabitats.

Nodevelopmenttakesplaceonanyareasoffunctional

floodplaininthecatchment.Allnewdevelopmentis‘flood

positive’,usingahigherSuDSstandard*,sothatitgenerateslessfloodwaterthanbefore.

Treecoverinthemiddleanduppercatchmenthasbeenincreasedthroughthetargeted

plantingofwoods,hedgesandorchards.Thishelpswildlife,floodriskmanagementand

landscapequalityandprovideswoodfuel,craftproductsandpublicaccess.

Theconditionofsoilsthroughoutthecatchmenthasgreatlyimproved,withmuchhigherlevelsoforganicmatterandlowerlevelsofcompactionandslaking.Thishasrequiredchangesinagricultural

landuseandmanagement,withlessmaizeandcontinuouscerealproductionandmorepermanentpastureorlongtermgrassleys.

Robustandeconomicallyviablelocalsupplychainsprovideconsumersinthecatchmentwithnutritiousfoodfromlocal

farms.Thishasinvolvedthere-instatementoflocalprocessinganddistributionbusinesses(e.g.abattoirs,dairies,packhouses).Improvedmarketintelligencehasledtomoreequitableprofitdistributionalongthesupplychain.

Thecatchmenthasbecomecarbonneutral,providinganational

exemplarofthewaysthathouseholdsandbusinessescantaketoreduce

theirimpactonclimatechange.Thishastakenplacethroughreductionsinemissionsfromtransport,heating,agricultureandwasteandfromrenewableenergygeneration.

Peoplelivinginthecatchmentarebetterinformedaboutthepoliciesandworkofthelocalorganisationstheyarepayingforandaremoreinvolvedindecision-making.Theyusetheirpurchasingpowerasconsumerstoimprovetheirlocalenvironmentandsupportlocaljobs

andbusinesses.

*SuDSstandsforSustainableDrainageSystem.TheNationalPlanningPolicyFrameworkrequiresthatplanningauthoritiesgiveprioritytotheuseofsustainabledrainagesystems


12

OurObjectivesforaReimaginedLevelsCatchment

ConnectingPeople–Improvingunderstandingandaccountability

§ We should empower the peoplewho live andwork in the Catchment through a reinvigoratednetwork of community organisations, coordinated through a new ‘Friends of the Levels’organisation, that is able to present awell-informed and ambitious agenda for action to publicbodiesandbusinesses,andabletotakeactioninitsownright.

§ The residents of the Catchment should receive positivemessages about the opportunities theycantakeasconsumers thatwillenhancetheirownandotherpeople’s lives, includingthemanywaystheycanreducetheirimpactonclimatechangeand,bydoingso,reducethethreatsfacingtheircommunities.ThepreparationofaZeroCarbonSomersetStrategywouldhelpachievethis.

§ Theplanning system needs todomore toprotectandenhancenatural capital and life-supportsystems–especiallyinrelationtoflooding.Thiswillrequiretherobustuseofexistingpowerstorejectunsuitabledevelopmentaswellas innovativeapproaches to supportingpositivedevelop-mentormitigatingtheimpactsofdevelopmentwhichisinthepublicinterest.

ConnectingtheLandscape–Enhancingnaturalsystems,productivityandbeauty

§ The principle of encouraging the functional connection between rivers and their floodplainsthroughouttheCatchmentwillneedtobeembeddedinpolicyandpractice.Thisdoesnotmeanthatwe should relinquish controlofwateron theLevels (far from it–weneed to increase theinfluenceswehaveover flooding). Butwe shouldbemore flexible inusing farmlandon flood-plainstomanagewinterfloodingandallowinggravitytoevacuatefloodwater,inaddition,orasamore effective alternative, to hard engineering solutions. A process of negotiation andcompensation (and potentially also land acquisition in key locations by the public or charitablesector)willbeneededtore-establishthefunctionalfloodplain.

§ Theremaybeaneedtoconsidermoreradicallandusechangeinthelowestlyingareastoallowwetlandhabitats todevelopthatwillhaveaprotective functionagainstseveremarineor fluvialfloodingandcouldalsoprovideproductive(e.g.aquaculture)uses.

§ Thereneedstobebetterunderstandingoftheeffectthatlanduseandmanagementhasonboththeenvironmentandthenutritionalqualityoffood.Thisshouldincludeaparticularfocusonthevitalroleofpermanentpasturetosustainnatureandhealthyfood,andthe importanceoffully-functioningsoilsandrivers(agro-ecology).

§ AsoilsstrategyfortheCatchmentisneededthatidentifiesdegradedsoilsandthecircumstanceswherethereisgreatestpotentialfor improvingtheirstructureandorganic-mattercontent. Thisshould involve a package of practical research, extension advice and financial incentives tofarmersandlandownersonfloodandsoilmanagement.

§ Greaterspatialco-ordinationofthemanagementandcreationofwildlifehabitatsacrossfarmsisneeded.Thisshouldensurethatourcorewildlifesitesarenolongerisolatedfromeachotherandnatureismoreconnectedandresilienttothreatssuchasclimatechange,pestsanddiseases.


13

ConnectingtheEconomy–Developingsupplychainsforlivelihoods,healthandwellbeing

§ Weneedavibrantandefficiently-functioningbioregionaleconomy that joinsupproducersandprocessorsofgoodvalue,nutritiousandsustainably-producedgoodsandserviceswithconsumersatallpricebrackets.Thiswillrequireimprovedmarketintelligenceputtingproducers,processorsandretails intouchwitheachother;usingclear,credibleandcost-effectiveassurancestandardssoconsumerscanbeconfidentinwhattheyarebuying;andco-ordinatedpromotiontostimulatedemand.

§ Thereshouldbebetterpromotionofthebenefitsthatahighqualitynaturalenvironmenthastopeople’s spiritual and physical wellbeing. This requires better public understanding of thepositiveconnectionsbetweenthewayfoodisproducedanditsnutritionalbenefits;andbetweenaccessto,andexperienceof,‘greenspaces’andlandscapes.

§ More efficient and effective means are needed to address market failures in the way publicbenefits are providedby the environment. Examples include a) using a levyonhousehold andbusiness insurance premiums to pay landowners to store flood water, reducing the risk ofpropertiesfloodingandb)extendingthecarbontradingmarkettoincludeorganicmatterinsoils,includingpeatsoils.Suchschemesmustbeadministrativelysimpleandtransparent.

§ Not-for-profit organisations, including Community Benefit Societies, Community InterestCompanies andCharities, have an important role to bridge the gapbetweenprivate enterpriseandpublicbenefits.Wecanexploremoreopportunitiesforcommunity-ledorganisationstousetheselegalstructurestohelppublicbodiesdotheirworkmoreeffectivelyandwithstrongerlocalsupport.

OurspatialvisionforlanduseandmanagementMeetingtheseobjectiveswillbeeasierifwehaveabetterspatialunderstandingofwherechangestolanduse andmanagementneed tohappen. Solutions shouldbebasedon the characteristics of theCatchment(i.e.designedforlocalcircumstancesandnotonstandardnationalprescriptions).Figure6onthefollowingpagesplitstheCatchmentintofivedifferentareasbasedontheircurrentlanduseandnaturalresources,andproposestheobjectivesthatshouldguidethemanagementoflandandwaterineacharea.

Trackingprogress towards these spatial objectives canbehelpedby setting targets as ‘indicatorsofsuccess’.Furtherworkandconsultationwillbeneededtodevelopthesetargets.Asanexample,wesuggestthatonetargetcouldbetodoublewoodlandcoverintheCatchmentoverthenext20yearsfrom6%to12%,reaching20%intheuplandpartsoftheCatchment(currentlyaround10%)and15%inthemiddlepartsoftheCatchment(currentlyaround8%).

The fulfilment of all these spatial objectives lies in the hands of themany private landowners andtenantswhofarmtheCatchment. Theirwilling involvementand leadershipwillbeessential. Aswehaveseen,anewnationalFoodandFarmingPolicyisneededtoprovidetherightstructureofmarketincentives, compensatory payments and advice, backed upwhere necessary by regulation. Locally-targetedfundingtopayforpublicbenefitsproducedfromtheland(socalled‘PaymentsforEcosystemServices’) will be required through a rejuvenated agri-environment scheme. A new facility forbrokeringthevoluntaryexchangeofland(socalled‘Landswaps’),alreadybeingdevelopedbyafarmeratPawlett,mayhelptomatchtheaspirationsandcapabilitiesof landownersandmanagerswiththeobjectivesfordifferentparcelsofland.

Annex4.5

Annex6.3


14

Figure6.OurspatialvisionandobjectivesforlanduseandmanagementintheCatchment

Peatland

son

the

Levelsan

dMoo

rs

Otherareasofthe

Levels&M

oors

Themiddlecatchm

ent–mainly

mixed

farm

ing

Themiddlecatchm

ent-curren

tly

mainlyarab

lecropp

ing

Theup

land

s

Alllandmaintainedaspermanentpasture.Nomaizeorarablecrops,inordertopreservepeatsoilsandavoidfurthersinkingofthelandsurface ü

Highsummer-penwaterlevelstopreventdryingoutofpeatsoilsandenhancehabitatsforwildlife,includingnestingwadingbirds ü ü

Examinationofnecessityforlong-termlandusechangeincertainareastocreateprotectiveandproductivewetlands(e.g.reedharvesting,aquaculture) ü ü

Useoffloodplaingrasslandforwinterfloodstorage,withfarmersreceivingpaymentsinrecognitionofadditionalreductionsinfloodrisktootherareas ü ü ü ü

Theconservationandactivemanagementoftraditionalorchards(andmarketsfortheirfruit)toenhancelandscapecharacter,biodiversityandproductivity ü ü ü ü

Tightcontrolofwheremaizeisgrownandwhenitisharvestedtoreducerun-offanderosion,toincludeconsiderationofno-plantingareasandfarmquotas ü ü ü ü

Reintroductionofgrassleystoarablerotations(wheretheyhavebeenlost)tobuildthewater-holdingcapacityandfertilityofsoilsandimprovewaterquality ü ü ü ü

Useofsoilremediationmeasures(e.g.moledrainage,minimumtillage)tore-coversoilstructureandorganic-mattercontentwherethishasbeendegraded ü ü ü ü

Creationofwidefieldmarginsandhedges,especiallybesideriversandwater-courses,toenhanceecologicalconnectivityandreducesurfacerun-off ü ü ü

Naturalisationofriverandstreamchannels,allowingbuild-upofvegetationandwoodydebristoenhancehabitatsandslowwaterflow ü ü ü

Creationofwetlandfloodstorageareasbyblockinglanddrainsandcreating‘leaky’dams,reducingpeakriverflowsandincreasingsummerbaseflows ü ü ü

Increasedwoodlandcover,especiallyonsteepslopesandareaspronetoero-sioninordertointerceptrun-offandprovidealltheotherbenefitsofwoodland ü ü ü

Reinstatementofwoodlandmanagementtoenhancewildlifehabitats,providewoodfuelandsupportruraljobs ü ü ü

Blockingofmoorland‘grips’(drainagechannelsinpeatsoils)toincreasethewater-holdingcapacityoftheuplandmirehabitats ü

MapoftheCatchment

showingsuggested

spatialdivisions


15

OurRecommendationsforAction

The objectives described above contain a range of suggestions affecting land use planning, farmingpractices, river andwater levelmanagement, environmental regulation and conservation priorities.We hope that these suggestions will influence the work of bodies managing water (including theEnvironment Agency, Drainage Boards and Local Authorities), the local authority planningdepartments, theorganisationsrepresentingandadvising farmersand landowners, theconservationcharitiesthatownland,andothers.

However,inthisfinalsection,wefocusspecificrecommendationsonthreetopics.Theseare:

A. ThedevelopmentandworkoftheSomersetRiversAuthority;

B. Supportforfarming,foodandtheenvironmentpost-Brexit;and

C. TherepresentationofcommunityinterestsintheCatchmentonpoliciesaffectingtheenvironment,landandwater.

A.TheSomersetRiversAuthorityThe most significant positive legacy of the flooding that occurred in 2013/14 promises to be theestablishmentof the SomersetRiversAuthority (SRA) to co-ordinateanddevelop the20-Year FloodAction Plan. However, the SRA currently has no powers and resources of its own and its future isuncertain.

TheconstitutionandfundingoftheSRA

There is much political work being done to persuade the Government to give the SRA a statutoryfootingasan independentpreceptingauthority27. Atthetimeofwriting, it isunderstoodthatDefraplans to bring forwardprimary legislationwhichwould enableMinisters, responding to requests bylocalauthorities,toestablishcatchment-basedpreceptingauthoritieswithresponsibilityforfloodriskmanagement.WewelcomethisandhopethattheGovernmentcanfindthecivilserviceresourcesandparliamentarytimetomakeithappensoon.Wehavethefollowingrecommendationstomakeabouthowthisisdone.

A.1 TheGovernmentshouldgivenewpreceptingauthoritiesliketheSRAaclearstatutorypurposethat establishes broad ‘public good’ objectives covering the safeguarding of public assetsincludingproperty,critical infrastructure,soilsandhabitats. TheremitandpowersoftheSRAmustencompassallaspectsof landandwatermanagementacrossthewholeCatchmentthathaveadirectconnectiontomanagingtherisksoffloodinganddrought.

A.2 The Government should ensure that the new precepting authorities include non-partyrepresentativeswhoareelectedspecificallytorepresentthe interestsof localcommunities.These locally-electedmembers, whowould strengthen the accountability of the authority tolocaltaxpayers,shouldbeinadditiontothemembersnominatedbylocalauthorities,IDBsandbodiesliketheEnvironmentAgency.ThemodelprovidedbyNationalParkAuthorities,whosemembership is split between local authority nominees, Secretary of State appointees andlocally-electedrepresentatives,hasmuchtorecommendit.

27ThiswouldgivetheSRApowerstoraiseitsownincomethroughapreceptontheCouncilTaxpaidbyallhouseholdsinSomerset.

Annex2.7


16

A.3 In preparation for the primary legislation, the County Council should develop options andconsultwidelyonthepotentialfortheSRAtocollectastatutoryarealevytofunditsworkonnatural flood management, to be paid on holdings over one hectare in all parts of thecatchment (as well as receiving income from a precept on individual households). Anexemption could be granted to holdings that currently pay a levy to the Internal DrainageBoards.

TheSRA’sstrategicprioritiesandactivities

TheTaskForceVisionfortheLevelsandMoorsandthe20-yearFloodActionPlanthatweredevelopedinthewakeofthe2013/14floodingsetoutabroadagendaforaction,emphasisingtheneedforworkacrossthewholeoftheCatchmentandnewapproachesbasedonnaturalfloodmanagement.

However,we note that the largemajority (90%) of the SRA’s budget for the 2016/17 year is beingspent on rivermanagement work including dredging on the Levels. In contrast, the expertise andfundingallocatedtonaturalfloodmanagementinthemiddleanduppercatchmentisverysmall(forinstancetheprogrammeofcapitalgrantstolandownersaccountsforonly5%ofthebudget).

We are concerned that long term approaches to address the causes of flood generation andwhichhave the potential to deliver a greater range of ecosystem services, will lose out to short termmaintenanceworksuchaschanneldredgingwhichmaynotbecosteffective (andmaysimplymovetheproblemdownstream).

A.4 As soon as it is established as an independent authority, the SRA should give a clearcommitmentthatitwillmakeoneofitsprioritiesthedevelopmentoflongterm‘naturalfloodmanagement’measuresacrossthewholeCatchment.

Thiswillrequireittoextenditsleading-edgeprofessionalexpertiseandtoworkwitharangeofpartnersinvolvedinlanduseandmanagement.

TheSRAhasenteredacrowdedarenaoforganisations,committeesandpartnershipswhoareinvolvedin water and flood risk management in Somerset. These include the Environment Agency, theDrainage Boards, local authorities, Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, Somerset WaterManagementPartnershipandthereinvigoratedCatchmentPartnership.Weacceptthatthesebodieshave different jobs to do, but local communities will quickly lose confidence in them if they seeinefficientadministrationoralackofco-ordination.

A.5 ProvidedtheSRAcandemonstratelocalaccountabilityforitsdecisionsthroughlocally-electedmembers (see .2), it should establish its authority as the primary body co-ordinating watermanagement in Somerset, commissioning or delegating other bodies to deliver agreedprogrammesofwork.

Thisshould includethemonitoringandmaintenanceofpublicdrainage infrastructureandtheuseofagri-environmentfundingtoreducefloodriskonfarmland.

We make further suggestions about how the SRA should involve communities and citizens in itsdecision-makingbelow(RecommendationC.2andC.3).


17

B.Supportforfarming,foodandtheenvironmentpost-BrexitAs we have already indicated, there is great uncertainty over the future of public policy towardsfarming and the countryside following the Brexit vote in June. It is essential that we take theopportunities that leaving the CommonAgricultural Policy presents to strengthen our local farmingand food economy for the benefit of local people, wildlife and the landscape. This requiresestablishing the right overall policy framework at a national level and then developing andimplementingitinlinewithlocalneedsandopportunities.Wemakethefollowingrecommendationstoguidethisprocess.

AFarming,FoodandEnvironmentPolicyFrameworkforEngland

B.1 TheGovernmentshouldleadanurgentnationaldebateonhowwedevelopafarmingandfoodeconomythatisbetteratenhancingnationalhealthandwell-being(addressingissuessuchasobesity and poor nutrition) and the condition of the environment (including wildlife, rurallandscapes,healthysoilsandtheglobalclimate).

Thisshouldidentifythestepsneededtopreventunacceptablepractices,rewardfarmersfortherange of public benefits they provide, createmore robust and productive local supply chainsandenableconsumerstomakebetterinformedchoices.Itshouldformthebasisofthefarmingand agri-environment support that replaces the EU Common Agricultural Policy in 2020,establishinganationalframeworkunderwhichlocalprogrammeswillbedeveloped.

Alocally-ledFarming,FoodandEnvironmentsupportprogrammefortheLevelsCatchment

B.2 Local Government and Non-Governmental Organisations in the Catchment should cometogether under the auspices of the Catchment Partnership to agree the local outcomes thatfarmingandagri-environmentsupportshoulddeliver.

Amongthemultiplebenefitsandecosystemservicesthatshouldbeprioritisedare,wesuggest,natural flood management, ecologically connected and distinctive landscapes, strongbioregional patterns of supply and consumption, and reduced food poverty28. We favourfunding agreements that specify the outcomes to be delivered (giving flexibility to recipientshowtheydothisandpromotinglocalknowledgeandinnovation)ratherthanbyenforcing‘top-down’prescriptions.

Governmentsupportforfoodproducedtothehigheststandards

B.3 Governmentshoulddomoretoencouragethesupplyoffoodanddrinkthatisproducedtohighenvironmental,nutritionalandwelfarestandards.Specifically,itshouldtakeamoreactiveroleinsettingfoodlabellingstandardscoveringnutrition,provenanceandproductionmethods.

GovernmentshouldgivegreaterpowerstotheGroceriesCodeAdjudicatortoensureequitableaccessbysmallUKfarmbusinessestothemultipleretailers.

It should set targets for public procurement (by bodies such as theNHS, schools andArmedForces)offoodmeetinghighUKstandards.

28Foodpovertyisdefinedastheinabilitytoobtainfoodthatisbothnutritiousandaffordable.


18

C.Communityrepresentationonissuesaffectingtheenvironment,landandwaterThis project has identified a gap between the organisations making decisions about how theCatchment,itslandandwaterarebeingmanagedandthecitizensinwhosenamethesedecisionsaremade.Manycommunityorganisationsandindividualsarekeentohavetheirsaybutfeelexcludedbythe technical language and what they see as closed decision-making processes dominated bylandowningandnatureconservationvoices.

This issuehasbeen identified inotherpolicyareas,suchasthecommissioningandhealthandsocialcareservices.Heretheconceptof‘knowledgeco-production’isbeingusedtodeliverpublicservicesinanequalandreciprocalrelationshipbetweenprofessionalserviceprovidersandthepeopleusingandbenefitingfromtheseservices.ThesameapproachshouldbeexploredintheCatchment.

Toovercomethebarriers,thereneedstobea‘meetinginthemiddle’,withcommunityorganisationsbecomingbetterinformedandabletorepresenttheviewsofcitizens,anddecision-makingbodiesliketheSRAgiving localpeopleagenuinerole inshaping itsprioritiesandplans. Wesuggest that threestepsarerequiredtodothis.

Networkingandco-ordination

C.1 Community organisations in Somerset should improve the networks of communication anddialogue between citizen groups, particularly between rural and urban communities. Agrassroots-drivenprocessshouldbefacilitatedtoenableco-ordinationandjointlobbying.ThemodeladvocatedbyCitizensUK(http://www.citizensuk.org)shouldbeexamined.

For itspart, theReimagining the LevelsGroupwill explore thepotential for a ‘Friendsof theLevels’ organisations to champion the communities and environment of the Levels in publicpolicy.

Sensitizationandinformationsharing

C.2 The SRA, together with the Catchment Partnership, should accept their responsibility forimprovingpublicunderstandingofthe issuesandsolutionssurroundingclimatechange, landmanagementandflooding.

Theyshoulddevelopandmaintainaprogrammeofdisseminatingknowledge in formatsthatareaccessibletoordinarypeople. Aswellaspublishinginformationontheinternet,‘pop-up’exhibits should periodically be used to take information to public spaces such as libraries,communitycentresandvillagehalls.

We would also urge other bodies such as the Environment Agency and the conservationcharitiesthatmanagelandtodothesame.

Annex6.4


19

Representationandaccountability

WehavealreadyrecommendedthattheSRA’sconstitutionshouldprovideforlocally-electedmembers(RecommendationA.2).Inaddition,wemakethefollowingrecommendationonhowtheSRAshouldgoaboutitsbusiness.

C.3 TheSRA,andotherpublicbodiesinfluencinglandandwatermanagementintheCatchmentsuchastheCatchmentPartnership,shouldactivelyencourageparticipationbycommunitiesandcitizensintheirdecision-makingprocesses.Thisshouldinvolvedialogueatthepolicyformulationstage,asisincreasinglybeingdoneinthehealthandsocialcaresectorsusingparticipatoryconceptssuchas‘co-production’29and‘citizens’juries’,ratherthansimplyconsultationonpreferredoptions.

TheSRAanditspartnersshouldalsoconsiderhowvolunteerworkbylocalresidents,suchasthroughthemanagementormonitoringofpublicinfrastructureorcitizenscienceprojects,couldbeusedtogivecommunitiesastrongerstakeinaddressingthelandandwaterchallengesthattheCatchmentfaces.

29Seethereferenceto‘knowledgeco-production’atthebottomofPage4andalsoSection6.4oftheTechnicalAnnex.


20

SourcesandInspirations

Thefollowingpublicationsmaybeofinteresttoanyonewhoisinterestedtoexploremoreaboutsomeoftheconceptsandissuesraisedinthisreport.

§ AllenP,FrenchC,HopkinsonL,JamesP(2016).ZeroCarbonBritain–Makingithappen.Initialfindings.TheCentreforAlternativeTechnology.http://zerocarbonbritain.org/en/making-it-happen

§ HarveyG(2016).GrassFedNation:Gettingbackthefoodwedeserve.IconBooks.ISBN978-1-78578-076-9

§ HelmD(2016).BritishAgriculturalPolicyafterBREXIT.NaturalCapitalNetwork–Paper5.1stSeptember2016.www.dieterhelm.co.uk/assets/secure/.../British-Agricultural-Policy-after-BREXIT.pdf

§ HouseofCommonsEnvironmentalAuditCommittee(2016).Inquiryintosoilhealth.TheCommittee’sreportonSoilHealth(HC180published2June2016)andtheGovernment’sresponse(HC650,published13September2016).http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/environmental-audit-committee/inquiries/parliament-2015/soil-health/

§ LUC(2001).AFuturewhenitRains.TheParrettCatchmentManagementStrategy.ReportfortheParrettCatchmentManagementPartnership.

§ NewEconomicsFoundation(2008).Co-production.AManifestoforgrowingthecoreeconomy.ISBN987-1-904882-32-9.http://b.3cdn.net/nefoundation/5abec531b2a775dc8d_qjm6bqzpt.pdf

§ ScottCatoM(2012).TheBioregionalEconomy:Land,LibertyandthePursuitofHappiness.ISBN:978-0-41550-082-1http://www.greeneconomist.org/files/greeneconomist/general/1The_Bioregional_Economy_discount_flyer.pdf

§ SEPA(2015.)NaturalFloodManagementHandbook.PublishedbytheScottishEnvironmentalProtectionAgency.ISBN:978-0-85759-024-4https://www.sepa.org.uk/media/163560/sepa-natural-flood-management-handbook1.pdf

§ WilliamsM(1970).TheDrainingoftheSomersetLevels.CambridgeUniversityPress.pp.8–9.ISBN0-521-07486-X.

Reimagining the Levels, - Sussex Wildlife Trust · climate change) are properly recognised and...

Documents

Transcript of Reimagining the Levels, - Sussex Wildlife Trust · climate change) are properly recognised and...