The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has announced new Chair appointments to the Severn and Wye, Thames and Wessex Regional Flood and Coastal Committees (RFCCs).

The announcement, which follows a recent recruitment campaign, are for the following appointees:

English Severn and Wye RFCC Chair: Cllr Matthew Riddle

Matthew is a farmer by profession who holds a part-time lectureship at Bridgwater and Taunton College / University Centre Somerset, lecturing in agriculture and environment. He is also a local Councillor for the Severn Vale Ward on South Gloucestershire Council.

Over the last twenty-one years he has been involved in water and flood management, as a former Member of the Wessex RFCC, five years as the Chair of the Lower Severn Internal Drainage Board, and as former Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, which is a lead local flood authority. He is currently the Vice-Chair of the South West Branch of the Association of Drainage Authorities.

He was one of the founding Members, and Chair, of the West of England Combined Authority which will bring over £1 billion of additional infrastructure funding to the sub-region. The new Authority was developed after a period of partnership working with neighbouring Councils, and the government, on a number of infrastructure projects, including the new £100 million sea defences in the Avonmouth and Severnside Enterprise Area.

Thames RFCC Chair: Paula Hewitt

Until Autumn 2023, Paula was Deputy Chief Executive and Lead Director for Economic & Community Infrastructure at Somerset County Council.

She was heavily involved in co-ordinating the local authority response to the significant Somerset floods in 2014 and led the work to minimise future flooding through the creation of the Somerset Rivers Authority. Following this, Paula was appointed as an expert adviser to the EU Committee of the Regions in relation to disaster resilience and drafted their position statement for the third UN world conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.

She is also currently the chair of the South West Infrastructure Partnership, a collaboration of organisations and professionals, all with an interest in improving infrastructure in the South West.

Wessex RFCC Chair appointment: Dr Rachel Gavey

Rachel is an industry professional with expertise spanning geology, energy, sustainability, and climate risk.

Following a BSc in Geological Oceanography, she went on to gain a PhD in Marine Geology focused on river and coastal sedimentology and processed, plus the impacts of climate forced events.

Throughout her professional journey, Gavey Rachel has held various geoscience based roles across the UK, Asia, and New Zealand. She has founded and leads two businesses advising global companies on energy transition, climate risk, ESG, and emissions reduction strategies.

All RFCC Chair posts attract a remuneration of £18,927 per annum for a commitment of five days per month.

RFCCs help to provide governance for the Environment Agency’s FCERM functions and cover all flood risks that are not the responsibility of the water companies. They have three main purposes:

• to ensure there are coherent plans for identifying, communicating and managing flood and coastal erosion risks across catchments and shorelines.
• to promote efficient, targeted and risk-based investment in flood and coastal erosion risk management that optimises value for money and benefits for local communities.
• to provide a link between the Environment Agency, lead local flood authorities, other risk management authorities, and other relevant bodies to engender mutual understanding of flood and coastal erosion risks in its area.