During August 2007, Sir Michael Pitt was asked by Ministers to carry out a review of the flood-related emergencies which occurred during June and July of 2007.
The three months from May to July were the wettest since records began and the events that followed have been linked to the deaths of 13 people and resulted in damage to thousands of homes and businesses. Power and water supplies were lost, railway lines, eight motorways and many other roads were closed and large parts of five counties and four cities were brought to a standstill. This was a new level of challenge to the emergency services and the water industry. The flooding triggered a series of emergencies which stretched local resources to the limit. The floods were a wake-up call that the Country could not ignore.
Even considering the extraordinary degree of disruption caused by the floods, the impact could have been far more severe as there were several near disasters of an even greater magnitude. The crisis would have been worse had it not been for the dedication, quick thinking and effective action of those involved in the rescue and recovery operation. Flood risk is here to stay.
The Pitt Review recognizes the findings of other reports, such as Stern and Foresight, which predict climatic change and state that this country can expect more extreme weather, with periods of intensive rainfall. The Review proposes that the country should confront these mounting challenges and adapt accordingly, recognizing that this process of adaptation will take place over a generation.
The aspiration is to have people attending with many interests, including the insurance sector, so as to bring a wide range of views to the debate. Sir Michael Pitt’s contribution will lead and stimulate debate conducted under ‘Chatham House Rules’
The Reform Club has a history as distinguished and colourful as some of its more illustrious members.
Following the passing of the Great Reform Bill in 1832 and the general election of December 1834, many Reformers felt the need for a Club in London to rival the ‘Tory Carlton Club.’ The new club opened its doors on 24th May 1836 at Dysart House, 104 Pall Mall, next door to the Carlton Club. Its membership had already reached one thousand, including nearly 250 MPs. The Committee set about commissioning a new clubhouse at immense expense, from the architect Charles Barry, a task that was completed, to spectacular effect, five years later.
Over the years the Reform Club has acted as the nerve centre and headquarters of the fledgling Liberal Party, however, changes in the Liberal consensus led gradually to the Club ceasing to have any political function and by the 1920s, it had evolved into an exclusively social club.
Although the Reform Club has long ceased to require its members to be loyal to the Liberal Party, it continues to maintain its liberal and progressive traditions.
