The Environment Agency maintains 1.3km of flood wall in the town, which protects over 500 homes and businesses and is intersected with a series of public access and residential flood gates that maintain access to the river from public areas and some residential gardens, but can be closed if flooding is forecast.

The review, which was carried out to ensure the town’s defences continued to offer the best possible protection for the whole community, started in February and considered whether residential gates should be replaced or removed in favour of a continuous flood wall.

Simon Wilson, from the Environment Agency’s Flood and Coastal Risk Management team in the North East, said:

Our absolute priority for this project has been to secure the best possible flood protection for Yarm. We considered various options such as providing new flood gates or replacing floodgates with walls, and how the different options would impact all local people.

Each of the residential gates located on an individual’s property is unique, just like each of the homeowners’ needs are unique, so we spoke personally with all of the affected homeowners to understand their requirements and discuss the operation of the gate on their property.

We have listened to residents and they have played a key role in helping us to make a decision which is right for the individual residents as well as the wider community.

Site investigation work is underway

Out of the 21 residential gates, 16 will be replaced on a like for like basis. The Environment Agency is still speaking with a small number of residents about potentially reducing the size of the gates on their property so they are more efficient to operate. One resident is open to their gate being replaced with a flood wall and discussions are ongoing.

Of the 11 public access gates in the town, nine will be replaced on a like for like basis with an improved design and new specifications making them more reliable and efficient to operate. Two do not need to be replaced.

Contractors for the Environment Agency have been in the town since early August carrying out some site investigation work, which will inform future design options for the new gates. Further updates will the provided to residents and the wider community when designs are complete.

Residents are encouraged to check their flood risk and take steps to Prepare. Act. Survive – visit the ‘what to do in a flood’ page

Those living in an area at risk of flooding are encouraged to download the Environment Agency’s simple flood plan so you’ll know what to do when there’s a flood warning in your area.

Flood gates in Yarm which reduce the risk of flooding from the River Tees are to be replaced following an extensive review by the Environment Agency.

Guidance on infection prevention and control for COVID-19. Sustained community transmission is occurring across the UK.

Reports on departmental staff numbers and costs.

Chair, Distinguished Delegates,

Please allow me to set out the view of the United Kingdom on the future role of COPUOS. As you know, the United Kingdom has taken a leading role on both the space sustainability agenda and that for space security. COPUOS has a crucial role in ensuring the ongoing sustainability of the space environment.

It can monitor the implementation of the Guidelines for the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities and support countries.

It can set the international framework for safe space operations, listening to member states and their academics, companies and scientists.

It can support safe and sustainable space exploration; help address climate change; discuss peaceful uses of nuclear power sources in outer space; and encourage sustainable development, including achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

And it can, and does, look for ways to set new standards, regulations and rules to support new activities, such as for in-situ space resource utilisation.

These should ensure the space environment can be used by all nations to support their development and their socio-economic prosperity.

We will continue to be active in COPUOS, and in support of UNOOSA, to maintain a sustainable space environment. That includes the funding we provided for an LTS project on implementation, through the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).

But one thing COPUOS cannot do is to engage in discussions about threats to space systems from States. As you know, space systems include satellites, ground infrastructure and the signals and data that flow between these. States have developed and deployed weapons to target these space systems and to threaten the security of States.

But discussion of weapons is for the UN disarmament structures. COPUOS should not blur the lines with the disarmament community.

So the United Kingdom will continue to engage actively in discussions under the agenda item of Preventing an Arms Race in Outer Space at the Conference on Disarmament and the UN Disarmament Commission. And we will again run a resolution at the UN General Assembly First Committee on how responsible space behaviours can reduce the risk of miscalculation and conflict arising from threats from States against our space systems.

Chair, let us not confuse these two very different strands of work and forums. One, COPUOS, looks to maintain space for all nations to use. The other, UN disarmament, seeks to prevent escalation and conflict that could arise from the use of weapons against space systems. They need to be dealt with separately.

Thank you.