Professor Bob Lee has been appointed as a Special Advisor to the National Assembly for Wales’ Environment and Sustainability Committee.
The appointment was confirmed on Wednesday 18 January, as part of the Committee’s review of the Business Case into the creation of a single environmental body for Wales.
On 29 November the Welsh Environment Minister, John Griffiths AM, announced the intention to create a single environmental body bringing together the Forestry Commission Wales (FCW), Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) and the Environment Agency Wales (EAW).
The Committee will review the Business Case examining the costs and risks attached to the creation of a single body which includes detailed information on the form and functions of the new body. The business case recommends that a single body bring together EAW, CCW and FCW and ought to:
• be more effective;
• achieve better environmental outcomes; and
• have the potential to create significant savings that could be reinvested.
Professor Lee is an expert in environmental law and his role will be to provide guidance to the Committee as they scrutinise the Business Case.
Professor Lee commented, “The review of the business case will examine issues such as performance risk, finance, regulatory powers, what actual efficiencies will be made as a result of the merger and how the three bodies will fit together as one organisation.”
The business case review is taking place alongside a public consultation into the Single Environmental Body. The intention is to have a shadow body operating from April 2012 with the single environment body formally beginning its work in April 2013.
This post was first published at Cardiff Law School.
