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| Questions for Environment Agency chief amid reports of Caribbean trip during UK floods | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| The head of the Environment Agency is under pressure to defend his handling of Britain’s worst flooding crisis for years amid reports that he has left the country to spend time at his luxury Caribbean home. | The head of the Environment Agency is under pressure to defend his handling of Britain’s worst flooding crisis for years amid reports that he has left the country to spend time at his luxury Caribbean home. |
| The EA issued a statement on Monday night saying that Sir Philip Dilley had visited Lancashire on “26-27 December”. | The EA issued a statement on Monday night saying that Sir Philip Dilley had visited Lancashire on “26-27 December”. |
| It added: “Sir Philip Dilley is in regular touch on the response to the current flooding, and available to participate in any necessary discussions.” However, the agency was unable to confirm whether its head was now spending time at the home that he and his wife have built on Barbados. | It added: “Sir Philip Dilley is in regular touch on the response to the current flooding, and available to participate in any necessary discussions.” However, the agency was unable to confirm whether its head was now spending time at the home that he and his wife have built on Barbados. |
| Dilley’s predecessor as chair of the Environment Agency, Chris Smith, faced severe criticism during flooding last year when he was accused of failing to visit flood-hit Somerset soon enough. The agency’s current chair, whose previous roles including executive chairman of Arup, took the post in September last year. He earns £100,000 a year and spends two to three days a week in his role. | Dilley’s predecessor as chair of the Environment Agency, Chris Smith, faced severe criticism during flooding last year when he was accused of failing to visit flood-hit Somerset soon enough. The agency’s current chair, whose previous roles including executive chairman of Arup, took the post in September last year. He earns £100,000 a year and spends two to three days a week in his role. |
| Shortly after becoming chair, Dilley made a promise to visit the scene of any serious flooding in the UK while he is at the helm, saying he had learned from the misfortune of Smith. “I chair the board of the agency and I agree there is a sort of figurehead position that is crucial for perception,” he said in his first interview after taking the job. | Shortly after becoming chair, Dilley made a promise to visit the scene of any serious flooding in the UK while he is at the helm, saying he had learned from the misfortune of Smith. “I chair the board of the agency and I agree there is a sort of figurehead position that is crucial for perception,” he said in his first interview after taking the job. |
| The Labour MP for Rochdale, Simon Danczuk, was among those voicing criticism this week. “I think it’s fair to ask why he has not visited the north of England over the past few days to explain what the agency is doing,” he told the Telegraph. “We should draw a comparison with the previous chairman, who did try to explain what the Environment Agency does.” | The Labour MP for Rochdale, Simon Danczuk, was among those voicing criticism this week. “I think it’s fair to ask why he has not visited the north of England over the past few days to explain what the agency is doing,” he told the Telegraph. “We should draw a comparison with the previous chairman, who did try to explain what the Environment Agency does.” |
| A statement from the EA said: “The chief executive leads the Environment Agency on a day-to-day basis. He is in charge of the agency’s response to the flooding crisis; has visited the flood-hit areas twice (Cumbria, 6-7 Dec; Yorkshire and Lancashire 26-27 Dec); and is attending Cobra meetings.” | A statement from the EA said: “The chief executive leads the Environment Agency on a day-to-day basis. He is in charge of the agency’s response to the flooding crisis; has visited the flood-hit areas twice (Cumbria, 6-7 Dec; Yorkshire and Lancashire 26-27 Dec); and is attending Cobra meetings.” |