National Assembly committee highlights risks associated with proposed single environmental body

27 April 2012

The National Assembly for Wales’s Environment and Sustainability Committee has raised concerns about a proposal to form a new single environmental body for Wales, after examining the business case for its establishment.

The Welsh Government proposes to combine the Countryside Council for Wales with Environment Agency Wales and Forestry Commission Wales to create a single agency with responsibility for the areas currently covered by all three bodies.

During the course of its inquiry, the Committee heard concerns from stakeholders regarding whether the new agency could strike the right balance between nature conservation or economic and social outcomes. Stakeholders also highlighted the need to make robust arrangements to separate the permitting and advisory functions of a single body.

Some of those who gave evidence also questioned the benefits of including Forestry Commission Wales as part of the new organisation and the Committee found that risks remain to be addressed in relation to the inclusion of Forestry Commission Wales in the proposed single body.

The concerns have been raised in a report sent to the Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development, John Griffiths AM.

“These are clear and practical concerns from individuals and organisations which work with the current bodies on a day-to-day basis and it is unclear yet as to whether these concerns will be realised,” said Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas AM, Chair of the Environment and Sustainability Committee.

“We hope that drawing the Welsh Government’s attention to these concerns will lead to these issues being avoided and that the transition to a single environmental body will be completed as smoothly as possible.

“We will be taking a close interest in the establishment of this organisation and its development in future.”