Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 4
4
Accepted
Identify local authority skills and resources needed to implement Schedule 3 and drainage guidance.
Conclusion
The risks from surface water flooding are increasing, but Defra is not providing the necessary leadership and support for local authorities on how this will be addressed. Surface water flooding is a growing issue with 3.4 million properties at risk in England. In July 2021, parts of London received a month’s rainfall within a couple of hours and more than 1,500 properties were flooded as a result. An increase in non-permeable surfaces (such as paved driveways) adds to the problem and action to tackle surface water flooding is hampered by a lack of local authority resources. Under Schedule 3 to the Floods and Water Management Act 2010, any construction work that has drainage implications requires approval before it starts. But this has not yet been implemented in England. Defra expects it to be implemented by the end of 2024. Section 3 will require lead flood authorities to oversee the correct design and implementation of sustainable drainage systems (SUDS). This is important in preventing flooding and pollution from mainly new developments. Surface water flooding cannot be predicted as reliably as other types of flooding, but the Agency’s new national flood risk assessment model (NaFRA2) will improve the data on surface water flood risk. The Agency says that there are some local authorities that do excellent work on surface water flooding but there are others that do not have the expertise needed in hydrology or the resources to plan appropriately. Recommendation 4a: Defra should urgently work with DLUHC to identify the skills and resources local authorities will need to implement Schedule 3 and where there are likely to be gaps particularly relating to the proper installation of sustainable drainage systems (SUDS). Resilience to fooding 7 b) The Agency should prioritise its work to provide guidance and training for local authorities on surface water flooding, including sharing examples of good practice.
Government Response Summary
The government agreed and stated the Agency is already providing guidance and training through various initiatives like webinars and a new projects site. They committed to working with local authority representatives to understand training needs and fill identified gaps.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. responsible for managing surface water flood risks. However, the Agency, alongside its operational role for managing flood risk from rivers and the sea have an important strategic overview/leadership role for all sources of flooding, including surface water. This is set out within the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England. This means the Agency is uniquely placed to convene those working on surface water, share best practice and enable training. The Agency is already supporting local authorities with commitments included within the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy Roadmap to 2026. A recent example are the webinars and training delivered jointly with the Town and Country Planning Association to over 200 local planning authorities to improve planning decisions. The Agency has recently developed a Supporting Flood and Coast Projects site. This aims to give all risk management authorities equal access to support, tools, guidance and learning materials. E-learning modules are also being made available through this platform. The Agency recognises that the needs of local authorities differ. Therefore, it will work with local authority representatives to understand their training needs and build on the existing work to fill any gaps identified. The Agency will also collate and share best practice from across all risk management authorities to enable more efficient and effective management of surface water flood risk.