. ▁ ▁Environment ▁Agency : ▁ 2 0 1 4 – 1 6 ▁D ille y ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁the ▁Environment ▁Agency ' s ▁chairman ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁succeed ing ▁Chris ▁Smith ▁in ▁the ▁post . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁during ▁the ▁un pre ced ented ▁flo oding ▁of ▁northern ▁England , ▁he ▁was ▁critic ised ▁for ▁failing ▁to ▁cut ▁short ▁a ▁hol iday ▁to ▁Barb ados ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁flo od ▁response . ▁Although ▁only ▁required ▁to ▁work ▁a ▁three - day ▁week ▁for ▁his ▁£ 1 0 0 k - a - year ▁job , ▁according ▁to ▁The ▁Independent ▁he ▁had ▁promised ▁on ▁appointment ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁work ▁six ▁or ▁seven ▁days ▁a ▁week ▁and ▁turn ▁up ▁in ▁his ▁well ington ▁bo ots ▁if ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁crisis . ▁His ▁staff ▁admitted ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁trying ▁to ▁avoid ▁media ▁scr ut iny . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁The ▁Sunday ▁Times ▁described ▁the ▁Environment ▁Agency ' s ▁statement ▁that ▁D ille y ' s ▁trip ▁to ▁Barb ados ▁was ▁a ▁family ▁visit ▁as ▁a ▁" W ind ies ▁who pper " ▁and ▁an ▁" att empt ▁to ▁mis le ad ▁the ▁public ." ▁The ▁family ▁had ▁indeed ▁been ▁at ▁their ▁villa ▁in ▁Barb ados ▁but ▁Lady ▁D ille y ▁is ▁from ▁J ama ica ▁− 1 2 0 0 ▁miles ▁away ▁and ▁has ▁no ▁connection ▁with ▁Barb ados . ▁ ▁When ▁interview ed ▁on ▁BBC ▁Radio ▁