Selsey Life Jan. ‘09
Coast Defence – Unravelling the Riddles
As we step out into the uncertainties
of 2009 and await Government approval of the proposed Coast Defence
Strategy for our coastal protection, we thought it might be helpful to
try to shed light on some basic coast protection riddles.
Q:
Selsey’s coast defences have been maintained by the local
authorities for approximately 50 years, so what has changed?
A:
Selsey has two coastal authorities: Chichester District Council
is responsible for the sea wall and adjacent groynes whilst the
Environment Agency has the responsibility for Medmerry (and sections of
Pagham). The requirement
for coastal authorities to look after the nation’s sea defences, under
the 1949 Coast Protection Act, is ‘permissive’.
This means that they don’t have to.
The Environment Agency is also taking over
(from
DEFRA) the national role of
deciding which schemes receive funding.
The Government has set up a points system so that the Environment
Agency can prioritise applications for funds.
Q:
Selsey is a thriving community, with thousands of homes and many
businesses, so surely it would gain high points in any funding
application for the urban frontages (the sea wall and groynes from
East Beach, round The Bill and along West Beach)?
A:
Sadly, no - under the present points system, Selsey would stay
low down on the scale because of the unfair way in which points are
awarded. The current points
system depends on what is called the “cost:benefit analysis”, which is
deeply flawed. Needless to say,
SOS and other local groups and businesses have pointed out these flaws
in their formal responses to the Environment Agency.
Well, that’s enough of puzzles for this
month! We’ll leave for
another time the intricate riddles surrounding Medmerry realignment and
why that is likely to
attract Government funding.
Contact:
www.saveourselsey.org
or by letter hand delivered to the SOS box in the reception area
of Selsey Town Council.
Save
our Selsey