What a surprise, yet more government underfunding of the parts of an agency that tries to regulate private industries, while giving it more money for itself and the same agency blowing more of the cash on middle management than actually doing its job
> The Environment Agency has a large budget but the officers say it is not being directed towards protecting or improving the environment. Government grants to the agency rose from £880m to £1.05bn over the past two years, and money for flood operations has steadily increased. **But government funding for the agency’s environmental protection work has slumped from about £170m in 2009-10 to a low of £76m in 2019-20, and £94m last year.**
> A second officer said increases in charges and other agency income filled the gap left by dwindling government grants but the money did not find its way to frontline work. **Instead it was directed to middle management, they said.**
So typical of this country, help the private industries and keep the wealthy management happy, but don’t do anything to deal with the pollution or the environment and actually reduce finding for doing so.
Plus no-one is allowed to speak out or say anything critical about the agency or they will lose their job
> **The officers wish to remain anonymous because the EA’s chief executive, Sir James Bevan, has “been very clear that he will sack anybody that is seen to be openly criticising the agency”, one officer said.**
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What a surprise, yet more government underfunding of the parts of an agency that tries to regulate private industries, while giving it more money for itself and the same agency blowing more of the cash on middle management than actually doing its job
> The Environment Agency has a large budget but the officers say it is not being directed towards protecting or improving the environment. Government grants to the agency rose from £880m to £1.05bn over the past two years, and money for flood operations has steadily increased. **But government funding for the agency’s environmental protection work has slumped from about £170m in 2009-10 to a low of £76m in 2019-20, and £94m last year.**
> A second officer said increases in charges and other agency income filled the gap left by dwindling government grants but the money did not find its way to frontline work. **Instead it was directed to middle management, they said.**
So typical of this country, help the private industries and keep the wealthy management happy, but don’t do anything to deal with the pollution or the environment and actually reduce finding for doing so.
Plus no-one is allowed to speak out or say anything critical about the agency or they will lose their job
> **The officers wish to remain anonymous because the EA’s chief executive, Sir James Bevan, has “been very clear that he will sack anybody that is seen to be openly criticising the agency”, one officer said.**