Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)

Flood Management Division - responsible for delivering National policy for flood and coastal defence

Standing Conference on Problems Associated with the Coastline

Regional Coastal Group - responsible for regional inter-authority co-ordination on coastal defence and reporting to DEFRA and other English and Welsh Coastal Groups, as well as conducting local coastal research

Environment Agency

Main river flood defence and local flood warning plans - monitoring of Local Authority high level targets for flood and coastal defence

• encourages the use of adequate and cost effective flood warning systems
• encourages the provision of adequate, economically, technically and environmentally sound and sustainable flood and coastal defence measures
• to discourage inappropriate development in areas at risk from flooding and coastal erosion

Dorset Coast Forum

County based coastal zone management group - responsible for developing local coastal management policies

Coastnet

Coastal Network - network of organisations working for the sustainable management of the coastal and marine environment

English Nature

Management of NATURA 2000 - HM Government Agency managing European Habitats Directive and International Agreements in the coastal zone, as well as UK enabling legislation and the conservation of dynamic coasts

Marine Conservation Society

Dedicated to protecting the marine environment and its wildlife - consultee to Council’s Programme of coastal management

Dorset Wildlife Trust

Responsible for developing the Dorset Biodiversity Strategy as local contribution to the UK Biodiversity Action Plan and a consultee to the Council’s Programme of flood and coastal management