Coastal Flood and Erosion Risk Management in Wales

On behalf of the Auditor General, Wales Audit Office staff have undertaken a further review to consider the progress that is being made by the Welsh Government and its partners to manage the risks of coastal flooding and erosion in Wales. This report assesses whether key objectives in the Welsh Government’s National Strategy for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management in Wales are being met but does not evaluate the effectiveness of emergency planning and resilience arrangements, nor the emergency response to flooding events.

The overall conclusion is that:

recent Welsh Government investment has improved coastal protection and delivered some wider benefits;
the Welsh Government and partners are improving their approach to managing the risks of coastal flooding and erosion, although the pace of change has been slower than planned; and
further improvements are needed to address capacity issues, plan for the long term, and ensure that spending provides value for money.