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| Environment Agency chief under pressure amid reports of Caribbean trip | Environment Agency chief under pressure amid reports of Caribbean trip |
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| 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 Environment Agency refused on Tuesday to comment on Philip Dilley’s whereabouts, other than to say he was “at home with his family over Christmas”. | |
| It added: “He is keeping in regular touch with the Environment Agency on its response to the current flooding, and available to participate in any necessary discussions.” | It added: “He is keeping in regular touch with the Environment Agency on its response to the current flooding, and available to participate in any necessary discussions.” |
| The agency went on to say that Dilley had “visited the north of England recently”, when he visited Cumbria on 14 December. | The agency went on to say that Dilley had “visited the north of England recently”, when he visited Cumbria on 14 December. |
| 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 include being executive chairman of engineering consultancy 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 was 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 was 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.” |