PART I GENERAL AND COMMENCEMENT

Citation and interpretation

1.–(1) This Order may be cited as the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 (Commencement No. 1 and Transitional and Savings Provisions) Order 2009.

(2) In this Order–

"the Act" means the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009;

"the appointed day" means 26th November 2009; and

"the 1970 Act" means the Agriculture Act 1970(2).

Appointed day

2. The provisions of the Act which are specified in column 1 of the Schedule come into force on the appointed day, but where a particular purpose is specified in relation to any provision in column 2 of the Schedule that provision comes into force on the appointed day only for that purpose.

PART II TRANSITIONAL AND SAVINGS PROVISIONS: FLOOD WARNING SYSTEMS

Existing flood warning systems: consultation

3. Where, before the appointed day, SEPA is doing anything under section 92(3) of the 1970 Act it may continue to do it under section 76 of the Act without consulting in accordance with section 77(2).

Consultations under the 1970 Act

4. Where, before the appointed day, SEPA has consulted or is in the process of consulting in relation to doing anything under section 92 of the 1970 Act, that consultation will be treated as if it were a consultation under section 77(2) of the Act.

Arrangements with other persons under the 1970 Act

5. The repeal of section 94(4) of the 1970 Act does not affect the validity of any arrangements entered into by SEPA in exercise of its powers under that section.

Article 2

SCHEDULE Provisions coming into force on 26th November 2009

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order brings all the provisions of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 into force on 26th November 2009, except section 42 (amendment to planning regulations) and Parts 4 (local authority powers to manage flood risk), 6 (powers of entry and compensation) insofar as it relates to Part 4, and 7 (reservoirs). The Act received Royal Assent on 16th June 2009 and Part 2 (sections 3 to 6) and sections 55, 71, 94, 95 and 97 came into force on that day.

Article 2 and the Schedule bring into force Part 1 (general duties), most of Part 3 (flood risk management planning) and Part 5 (SEPA functions in relation to flood risk assessment and flood warning system) of the Act. Part 6 (powers of entry and compensation) is brought into force insofar as it relates to the functions of SEPA and local authorities under Parts 3 and 5. Part 8 (general provisions) is commenced but section 96 is commenced only for the purposes of giving effect to the repeals and amendments in schedule 3 which are consequential on Parts 1, 3 and 5 of the Act.

Articles 3 to 5 make transitional provision in relation to flood warning systems. Article 3 provides that SEPA does not need to consult in order to continue providing existing flood warning systems.

Article 4 provides that where SEPA has already carried out a consultation under the Agriculture Act 1970 in relation to providing a new flood warning system, it does not have to carry out a further consultation under the Act before providing that system.

Article 5 provides that arrangements in relation to the provision of flood warning systems which were made under the 1970 Act between SEPA and third parties will remain in place. SEPA can make new arrangements in relation to providing flood warning systems under section 76 of the Act and its general powers under Part I of the Environment Act 1995 (c.25) (and in particular section 37 of that Act).