A new animation has been created to promote the benefits of West Yorkshire Flood Innovation Programme (WY FLIP) since it began a year ago to increase resilience to flooding and climate change in the region.
Ambassador for WY FLIP and Deputy Leader of Calderdale Council, Councillor Jane Scullion, launched the animation at Yorkshire Integrated Catchment Solutions Programme’s (iCASP) annual event ‘Confluence’ on 22 September.
She highlighted the importance of working to increase resilience to flood risk and other impacts of climate change through not only traditional methods but also ambitious, new and innovative ways of working.
WY FLIP was launched in November 2021 by the region’s five lead local flood authorities – Bradford Metropolitan District Council, Calderdale Council, Kirklees Council, Leeds City Council and Wakefield Council with University of Leeds and the Environment Agency – to work at catchment levels across administrative boundaries. Yorkshire Integrated Catchment Solutions Programme, known as iCASP, based at University of Leeds, has a key role – coordinating and sharing knowledge across partners to make sure the latest academic research is used and carrying out independent monitoring.
Currently 12 projects within WY FLIP are being developed and have been presented to the board for approval. They all tie into the programme’s five key themes and include cross cutting elements.
The key themes are:-
- Nature based solutions or Natural Flood Management – led by Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council
- Helping the community and voluntary sector to be better prepared and recover more quickly – led by Kirklees Council
- Integrated water management solutions – led by Leeds City Council
- Property flood resilience – led by Bradford Metropolitan District Council
- Enhanced flood warning systems – led by Wakefield Council.
Councillor Jane Scullion, said: “An aim of the programme is to work closely with sectors not traditionally involved with flood risk management such as health, finance and transport. By having these representatives on our steering group, this will encourage more innovative approaches to tackling the impacts of climate change.”
She reflected on some of the key values of the Programme as being:
- Working together to solve problems rather than in professional silos
- Innovation – finding new ways of doing things rather than keeping doing the same things over and over again such as building walls to keep rivers in and planting trees to reduce pace of flow
- Deepening our understanding of the management of water
- Empowering people to feel that they can act to protect themselves and their property but also be resilient to the inevitable future flood events
- Ensure that the knowledge and experience of frequently flooded areas gets disseminated widely so others can benefit
- Collaboration – bringing lots of voices to the table takes us further.
Jonathan Moxon, Programme Manager and Executive Manager, Flood Risk and Climate Resilience with Leeds City Council, said: “One major advantage of WY FLIP is that by working in partnership, organisations have more opportunities to submit bids to a wider range of funding pots. Creating more opportunities amongst partners in this way has resulted in projects which promote a more resilient region getting off the ground more quickly.”
Joseph Holden, director of iCASP and board member, said: “An important aspect of FLIP which is valued by partners is that by collaborating with universities, they have easy access to the latest research to support their work.”
New ideas are always welcome – if you’d like to get more involved with the Programme email icasp@leeds.ac.uk
Looking back on the past year, members of the WY FLIP Board commented on what they value about the WY FLIP programme.
Mark Wilkinson, Team Leader – West Yorkshire Programme and Partnerships with the Environment Agency, said:
“Recent history demonstrates to us all the increased frequency and scale of flooding in communities across West Yorkshire. This risk will only continue to increase due to climate change.
“The partnership formed under the West Yorkshire Flood Innovation Programme is providing a key role in helping us meet the ambition to reduce this risk and enhance resilience through not only traditional methods but also ambitious and innovative ways of working.
“The fresh thinking on who we work with, the types of projects, and how they could be delivered will only help us to, together, further identify opportunities for funding and supporting communities across West Yorkshire.”
Sally Kelling, FCERM Advisor, Calderdale Partnerships and Strategic Overview Team on behalf of Calderdale Council, said: “It has been brilliant to see so many different organisations and departments work together on common goals in a really supportive way.
“We expect the FLIP partnership will achieve much more, which should benefit communities at flood risk across West Yorkshire. The learning from so many partners will be actively shared and built upon.”
Cllr Jane Scullion added: “What it means to me is – a feeling of personal security and peace of mind that I am developing personal resilience and contributing to the future resilience of others.”
Cllr Matthew Morley, Wakefield Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Highways, said: “The West Yorkshire Flood Innovation Programme means that we can work effectively with our partners to tackle flooding across the region and provide more solutions for those affected by flooding.
“It is incredibly important to work together to increase resilience to flood risk and, other impacts of climate change, through not only traditional methods but also ambitious, new and innovative ways of working.”
Paul Maddison, Flood Risk Manager for Wakefield Council, said: “For me, West Yorkshire Flood Innovation Programme means that we that we can provide more solutions for those affected by flooding.
“Before this programme started, we tended to work in our own areas and look at our own problems and solutions. Now we can provide more solutions and share the common learning and experiences. If I can find a solution to a problem and share it, then more people will benefit. We can save time, money and resources and hopefully reduce flood risk to more people.”
Paul also commented on how WY FLIP has proved to be invaluable for him over the past year. “My involvement in the West Yorkshire Flood Innovation Programme (WY FLIP) has allowed me to see the varied experiences and emotions that flooding can create.
“As a Flood Risk Manager, I don’t often get very involved in the emotions of the people that have experienced flooding, I tend to look at how the flooding can be reduced and what options there may be and trying to find solutions and funding.
“In my role as a board member has meant that my interaction with a number of other people involved in flooding has given me a wider perspective which I feel will help me understand a more overall picture. Sometimes people just want reassurance, to know someone is listening.”
Councillor Graham Turner, Cabinet Member for Regeneration for Kirklees Council, said:
“Floods can be devastating to residents and businesses, tackling or preventing them is not always easy but it is vital work.
“It makes perfect sense to pool our resources and work together even more when it comes to managing flood risk. The WY FLIP provides the platform to do exactly that.
“WY FLIP challenges us be more innovative than ever before and to expand our partnership networks even further. WY FLIP partners know that water does not respect boundaries and this programme recognises the need to scale up efforts beyond our boundaries by sharing experiences and learning with our neighbours.”