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Camber Parish Council held its Annual Assembly on 8 May 2012. DOC was invited to attend which presented an excellent opportunity to raise awareness on local sea defence issues and improve coastal literacy. DOC provides this service to all Councils on the Marsh. Please contact us for further information.

Richard Benyon,  Minister for Natural Environment and Fisheries,  confirmed during the recent National Flood Forum Conference in London,  that there is no  intention to renew the Statement of Principles which presently  exists between Government and the British Insurance Companies but which is due to expire in June 2013. ADA (Association for Drainage Authorities and  recognised as the national representative of the Internal Drainage Boards - IDBs) has published an article in their Gazette- Spring 2012 edition which contains further details on Page 6.

DOC has now obtained a pdf version of the Environment Agency’s PowerPoint summary which was presented to DOC during our recent  AGM on 16 March 2012. Please click here to view this document which contains some very useful information.

DOC Chairman Terry Preston/Damian Collins MP

DOC  held its 5th AGM last night at the Guild Hall in Lydd which was very well attended by our Members, Local, District and County Councillors from across the Marsh. Ian Nunn from the Environment Agency provided a very informative presentation covering sea defence matters and drought issues and we were delighted to welcome Damian Collins MP again as our Guest Speaker who had rushed straight from his surgery at Hawkinge in order to join us at our event. DOC’s achievements over the past few years are undoubtedly due to working closely with all local communities and stakeholders but we  need to continue  working together to ensure that the remaining proposed sea defence schemes will be implemented as soon as possible  in order to protect the Marsh from  potential flooding. DOC would like to take this opportunity to thank all its members and staunch supporters and we look forward to another successful year.

The Defend Our Coast Association is holding its Annual General Meeting on 16 March 2012 at the Guild Hall in Lydd . (7.30-9.00 pm). Damian Collins MP has kindly agreed to be our Guest Speaker at this event and staff from the Environment Agency will also be present to provide an update on sea defence matters concerning the Marsh. We look forward welcoming all DOC Members,  DOC Supporters and invited Guests on the night.

DOC has received its latest update from the Environment Agency detailing progress on various frontages. Please click here to download.

As DOC has pointed out so many times in the past,  properties in flood risk areas will face insurance problems when the Government Agreement  with the Association of British Insurers ends next year.  Today this fact has become national news! According to data  analysed by the ABI (Association of British Insurers) Hythe is one of those areas with ’significant risk of flooding’ and defined as ‘a greater than one in 75 chance of flood in any given year’. Unfortunately this risk applies not only to Hythe but to many other parts of the Romney Marsh and its sea defences generally where the present standard of sea defence has been identified as low as 1:5!  The need to improve and/or complete outstanding sea defences schemes on the Marsh is now greater than ever - not only to protect lives and to  keep our communities safe from coastal flooding,  but also to ensure that we are given an equal chance to insure our homes in the future.

The Agreement (Statement of Principles) between Government and the Association of British Insurers (ABI)  which commits insurers to continue to offer insurance to existing customers where they are at significant risk, if there are plans in place to reduce that risk within five years, is due to expire in 2013  Defra  has worked closely with the insurance industry to ensure that insurance remains widely available in England after this point and Government has developed and analysed the options explored by previously established working groups . Today an update report on progress has been released. Please click here to read the full document.

Following a meeting by the Environment Agency’s Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC) on 11 January 2012 a news release has been issued by the Environment Agency covering the amount of levy funding for 2012/2013 for local flood defences schemes across Sussex, Kent, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. A list of projects to be funded by the levy and national funding will be confirmed at the Environment Agency Board meeting on 8 February 2012.

A further drop-in session has been arranged by the Environment Agency for Wednesday, 18 January 2012 (5.00-7.00 pm) in order to provide local residents with an opportunity to meet with the Civil Engineering Company who will carry out the upcoming construction works at Rye Harbour. The site liaison officer will also be in attendance during the drop-in session.