Recommendation 29

We asked the witnesses whether central government reviews local emergency plans and monitors community risk registers. The Cabinet Office told us that LRF plans are not examined and assured by central government, noting that the powers exist to do this but not the funding for implementation. It also highlighted that the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities monitors LRFs’ performance against aspects of legislation to provide assistance rather than to perform an inspection or enforcement role.53 We also received written evidence from the National Flood Forum indicating that the lack of local assurance has limited the ability of communities to understand how effectively their LRF is managing flood resilience.54