New Head of Environment Agency Announced
By admin on May 13, 2008 in Featured, News
It has been announced that Lord Smith, the former culture secretary, is to be the new head of the Environment Agency. He will be replacing Sir John Harman and will oversee areas such as flood defences and the control of pollution and waste throughout England and Wales.
Lord Smith will take up the position in July, and will be paid £102,000 a year (not bad for a three-day week). Lord Smith was the Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury in north London until 2005 and has been described as having “strong leadership experience” and a “long-term commitment” to green issues by Mr Benn.
Following the floods of last summer, around 8,000 people in East and South Yorkshire are still unable to return home due to their properties being too badly damaged to live in and are still being repaired. This has led to the Environment Agency being warned to improve defences, which have been described as “confused and chaotic”.
