Draft Local Flood Risk Management Strategy

Overview

The Local Flood Risk Management Strategy aims to inform all groups and individuals who may have an interest in, or an ability to influence or manage flood risks, including householders, businesses, landowners, developers and risk authorities. We are now consulting on our draft strategy and welcome your comments.

The Local Flood Risk Management Strategy seeks to:

• explain what flooding is, its dangers, and how flood risks can be managed;

• inform about the extent and characteristics of flood risk in Norfolk and signpost other sources of information about flood risk in the county;

• clarify which Risk Management Authorities are responsible for which flood risk management activities;

• indicate the objectives of the strategy and make commitments in respect of the actions that will be taken by the Lead Local Flood Authority and other Risk Management Authorities;

• establish a framework of policies that will ensure that riparian owners, businesses, developers and those in authority apply a consistent and strategic approach to flood management;

• outline a series of proactive measures which will increase understanding of local flood risks and identify further measures to manage those risks;

• clarify how flood risk management is to be funded in Norfolk;

• indicate how flood risk management activities will be monitored and how the strategy will be reviewed.

Why your views matter

In response to the Pitt Review, the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 (FWMA)has introduced a new role of Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) which confers new statutory responsibilities on Local Authorities such as Norfolk County Council (NCC).

Pitt recommended that “the role of local authorities should be enhanced so that they take on responsibility for leading the co-ordination of flood risk management in their areas”.

One of these new statutory duties is set out in Section 9 (1), FWMA which states that “a Lead Local Flood Authority for an area in England must develop, maintain, apply and monitor a strategy for local flood risk management in its area”.

Please read the draft strategy and documents below and then feed back your comments using our online survey

What happens next

After the consultation period finishes, a final draft, taking into consideration all comments will be produced and presented to the NCC Environment, Development & Transport Committee on 10 July for recommendation before formal adoption by the full council on 27 July.