Unclear Local Flood Response Roles
Gaps in clarity regarding local roles and responsibilities for flood response and long-term climate adaptation.
Source spread
Where this theme appears
This theme appears across 6 independent accountability sources, so the source mix matters as much as the headline total.
11 inquiry recs
8 PFD reports
53 committee recs
1 DHR rec
38 LGO/SPSO decisions
Browse by source
Source-grouped records are useful for tracing where a concern came from. Large sections show the 50 strongest matches for that source; counts still show the full theme total.
Inquiry recommendations(11)
MAI-162 — Define BTP Senior Duty Officer role in Major Incidents
Recommendation: The role of the Senior Duty Officer in a Major Incident should be clearly defined and explained in the British Transport Police Major Incident Manual. This role should have a corresponding action card.
Gov response: Accepted in full
Accepted
MAI-158 — Guidance on commander location during incidents
Recommendation: The Home Office, the National Ambulance Resilience Unit, the College of Policing and the Fire Service College should develop guidance as to where commanders should locate during a spontaneous Major Incident. Steps should be taken to ensure that a consistent …
Gov response: Accepted in full
Accepted
MAI-156 — Ambulance Liaison Officer resourcing
Recommendation: The Home Office, the Department of Health and Social Care and the National Ambulance Resilience Unit should consider how to ensure that the role of an Ambulance Liaison Officer is properly resourced and also whether venue operators should fund the …
Gov response: Accepted in full
Accepted
MAI-144 — Mandatory Ambulance Liaison Officer at events
Recommendation: The Home Office should consider how the presence of an Ambulance Liaison Officer in appropriate circumstances may be made mandatory. This may need to be put on a statutory footing.
Gov response: Accepted in full
Accepted
MAI-135 — Action cards for emergency services in Major Incidents
Recommendation: The Home Office, His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, the College of Policing, the Fire Service College and the National Ambulance Resilience Unit should oversee the development and implementation of action cards for the police, fire …
Gov response: Accepted in full
Accepted
MAI-129 — Threshold for Ambulance Liaison Officer at events
Recommendation: The Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Care should consider how the threshold for a requirement that an Ambulance Liaison Officer be present at an event is to be identified.
Gov response: Accepted in full
Accepted
MAI-35 — Review GMFRS Incident Commander policy
Recommendation: Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service should review the policy by which the Incident Commander takes up the role, in light of the shortcomings I have identified in the policy in operation on 22nd May 2017.
Gov response: Accepted in full
Accepted
MAI-23 — Guidance on Silver command deployment to scene
Recommendation: Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters and the College of Policing should issue guidance on the circumstances in which a police officer or officers with responsibility for the tactical/silver command of the unarmed officers at the scene or scenes of a Major …
Gov response: Accepted in full
Accepted
MAI-17 — Review BTP jurisdiction overlaps
Recommendation: BTP and all Home Office Police Services should conduct a review of the areas in which their jurisdictions overlap. In the case of areas which have a significant footfall by members of the public which are not part of the …
Gov response: Accepted in full
Accepted
MAI-16 — BTP coordination with Home Office police services
Recommendation: British Transport Police should work with the Home Office police services with which it shares policing responsibilities at or for a particular location: a. to agree which police service has primacy in the event of a Major Incident; b. to …
Gov response: Accepted in full
Accepted
MAI-15 — Ensure prompt BTP Bronze Commander appointment
Recommendation: British Transport Police should review its procedures to ensure the prompt appointment of a Bronze Commander during a Major Incident.
Gov response: Accepted in full
Accepted
Prevention of Future Deaths reports(8)
Elizabeth Aurora Kerr
Concerns: The coroner noted unadopted recommendations from a 2011 report on carbon monoxide deaths and insufficient guidance on CO movement within buildings. Further concerns related to the Fire and Rescue Services' lack of a statutory role in CO safety and a need for regulators and fuel suppliers to review preventative actions.
Overdue
Janette Sutherland
Concerns: The presence of a drainage channel and concrete headwall represents a hazard to road users. A safety barrier should be erected to prevent vehicles leaving the carriageway and impacting the headwall.
Response (Caerphilly County Council): • Officers will investigate the site to provide recommendations and potential measures. • A survey of the site was conducted on 27 March 2014. • The Road Restraint Risk Assessment … (AI summary)
Response (Caerphilly County Council): • Caerphilly County Council undertook a topographic survey and a Road Restraint Risk Assessment Process (RRRAP) to evaluate the hazard. • The council decided to demolish the headwall and re-profile … (AI summary)
Responded
Melvin Bandtock
Concerns: The coroner raised concerns regarding information sharing between Durham Constabulary and the County Council, and suggested a review of the County Council's procedures to ensure a timely and proportionate response to potentially dangerous road conditions.
Response (Durham County Council): • The Council met with Durham Constabulary to review and identify improvements for information sharing protocols. • The Council reviewed its procedures and made changes to improve safety margins against … (AI summary)
Response (Durham Constabulary): • The Constabulary described its established dispatch procedures, which include dedicated highways dispatchers and supervisory oversight for road-related incidents. • The Constabulary confirmed its established lines of communication with Durham … (AI summary)
Responded
Roger Hamer
Concerns: The coroner noted insufficient recording and monitoring of carriageway deterioration by highway inspectors. Additionally, concerns were raised that a new highway management procedure, by redefining the 40mm defect threshold to an 'investigation level', could increase risks, especially for cyclists.
Response (Bury Council): • Highway inspectors now routinely take photographs of defects, and repair crews also take photographs prior to and post repair. • The Council proposes to implement a formal procedure for … (AI summary)
Response (Department for Transport): • The Government provided £6 billion from 2015 to 2021 for local highway authorities to improve road conditions. • An additional £250 million was provided to address potholes. • The … (AI summary)
Responded
Casper Blackburn
Concerns: The coroner noted extremely poor lighting and a lack of CCTV in the area where Casper entered the canal, making it difficult to discern the canal from the surroundings and unclear what precisely happened.
Response: • Trafford Council established a multi-agency water safety group and engaged with the Bridgewater Canal Company Limited regarding the coroner's concerns. • The Bridgewater Canal Company Limited stated that lighting … (AI summary)
Overdue
Heike Mojay-Sinclare
Concerns: The coroner raises concerns about the lack of mandatory requirements and standards for water depth gauges at river fords, the absence of mandatory inspection and maintenance for these features, and the need for mandatory inter-agency information sharing regarding incidents.
Response (Dpeartment for Transport): • The Department for Transport stated that it does not believe any actions are necessary from the Department. • The Department for Transport indicated that decisions regarding ford signage, depth … (AI summary)
Responded
Kane Davidson
Concerns: Concerns were raised regarding the council's landlord licensing regime, as licenses are granted without prior premises audits and property assessments omit explicit child safety risks. The report also notes insufficient clarity on enforcement actions and tenant information.
Response (Oldham Council): • The council amended the wording on the licence to clarify licence holder responsibilities and that the licence does not indicate property assessment or endorsement. • Licence conditions were amended … (AI summary)
Response (Department for Levelling up Housing Communities): • The department stated it supports the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) and funds the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) to raise awareness of blind … (AI summary)
Responded
Hemanta Rai
Concerns: The coroner identified inadequate and unclear signage warning visitors of the risk of drowning at Sgwd Gwladys. There were also concerns about the unclear responsibility for the area due to multiple overlapping local authority and environmental jurisdictions.
Response (Brecon Beacons National Park): • Brecon Beacons National Park Authority commissioned independent reviews of signage at the specific site and within its high-volume visitor areas. • Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and Neath Port … (AI summary)
Overdue
Select committee recommendations(53)— showing 50 strongest matches
#31 —
Recommendation: The status of light and noise pollution as policy areas under the aegis of DEFRA should be reviewed and interdepartmental co-ordination on these issues strengthened. The Government should make clear where in each affected department responsibility for noise and light …
Response attribution not verified
#26 —
Recommendation: The Government should publish its response to the Nature Recovery Green Paper by the end of 2023. If structural changes are not made, a clear plan for eradicating unnecessary overlap and improving cross-organisational work should be published. This must focus …
Response attribution not verified
#25 —
Recommendation: Restructuring Defra’s arm’s-length bodies could distract from the Government’s targets for 2030. Nonetheless overlap between the agencies must be reduced to deliver the best value for money and reduce delays and confusion for developers.
Response attribution not verified
#15 — Consult on introducing statutory duty for Fire and Rescue Services to respond to flooding.
Recommendation: The Government should consult on introducing a statutory duty for Fire and Rescue Services in England to respond to flooding, supported by dedicated funding for training, equipment, and operational planning. This should be undertaken by the end of 2025. This …
Response attribution not verified
#14 — Establish clear national mechanism for strategic oversight and accountability in flood risk management.
Recommendation: Flood resilience must be planned, integrated, and accountable, not fragmented, reactive, or opaque. The Government should establish a clear national mechanism for strategic oversight and accountability in flood risk management. By the end of 2025, it should set out how …
Response attribution not verified
#13 — Fragmented responsibilities and unclear accountability persist in flood risk management.
Recommendation: We are deeply concerned that even after more than a decade of reform, many communities still do not know who is responsible for managing flood risk where they live. A system that leaves the public unclear about accountability is not …
Response attribution not verified
#7 — Catchment-based planning inconsistently applied, poorly coordinated, and underpowered by funding
Recommendation: Catchment-based planning is widely acknowledged as the most effective and integrated way to manage flood risk, improve water quality, and deliver nature-based solutions. However, despite years of policy support, it remains inconsistently applied, poorly coordinated, and underpowered by short- term, …
Response attribution not verified
#2 — Amend Flood Act to establish statutory duty for authorities and empower Environment Agency oversight
Recommendation: Flood resilience must be embedded in statute as a clear responsibility, not left as a discretionary ambition. The Government should bring forward proposals to amend the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 to establish a duty for all relevant authorities …
Response attribution not verified
#15 — Intensify efforts to establish UK-EU SPS zone and publish a roadmap by May 2026.
Recommendation: The UK Government must intensify efforts to fully establish an SPS zone with the EU, as a key step towards reducing trade friction for Welsh agricultural exports. We call on the Government to publish a roadmap for how they plan …
Response attribution not verified
#14 — Lack of clear timeline concerning for UK-EU Sanitary/Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) zone establishment.
Recommendation: We welcome the foundational agreement between the UK and EU to establish a common Sanitary/Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) zone. However, we are concerned about the lack of a clear timeline for when an SPS zone will be established. (Conclusion, Paragraph 80)
Response attribution not verified
#9 — Revise National Policy Statement for Ports to clarify port freight interface and promote modal shift
Recommendation: The Government should revise the draft National Policy Statement for Ports to articulate more clearly how ports interface with other freight modes, ensuring that planning authorities actively consider modal shift in their decision-making. This should reflect the strategic role of …
Response attribution not verified
#8 — Government failed to communicate modal shift intentions clearly to maritime sector stakeholders
Recommendation: If stakeholders within the maritime sector do not believe that the draft revised Ports National Policy Statement is sufficiently clear in promoting modal shift, then the Government has failed to communicate its stated intention. (Conclusion, Paragraph 57)
Response attribution not verified
#7 — Clarify National Policy Statement for Ports prioritises design for functionality, safety, and environmental impact
Recommendation: Ports are functional environments, where safety must remain the paramount consideration. We understand the desirability of aesthetic quality, especially for landscapes and surrounding communities, but we share the concern of stakeholders that there are limits to what can be reasonably …
Response attribution not verified
#6 — Amend draft National Policy Statement for Ports to clarify applicability to DCO projects
Recommendation: To remove scope for ambiguity, the Department should amend the wording of the draft revised National Policy Statement for Ports to explicitly confirm its applicability to projects directed into the Development Consent Order process under section 35 of the Planning …
Response attribution not verified
#12 — Planning system fails to account for cumulative development impacts on flood risk.
Recommendation: As our recent report on flood resilience stated, the planning system fails to account for the cumulative and cross-boundary impacts of development on flood risk. Land use decisions are often made in isolation, without considering downstream consequences, catchment-scale dynamics, or …
Response attribution not verified
#24 — Facilitate a greater role for local authorities to accelerate domestic retrofit roll-out.
Recommendation: We look forward to the Government’s Warm Homes Plan and their estimate of workforce needs and how they will meet it. The Government’s Warm Homes Plan should facilitate a greater role for local authorities to accelerate the roll-out of retrofit. …
Response attribution not verified
#30 —
Recommendation: Light and noise pollution cut across a number of departments. The levers for acting on problems identified by DEFRA often sit in other departments, such as the Department for Transport. This is unlike other pollutants, where DEFRA takes ownership of …
Response attribution not verified
#15 —
Recommendation: In its official response to this report, we request that the government provide more information about how the new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman will interact with local authorities and the courts. (Recommendation, Paragraph 76)
Response status not verified
#14 —
Recommendation: We welcome the creation of a new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman. If implemented well, we are confident that the new ombudsman will provide an effective alternative route for redress. However, the government needs to provide further clarity on how the …
Response status not verified
#35 —
Recommendation: The Government should review the institutional arrangements for community engagement in flood risk management, to identify best practice and opportunities for more effective approaches. The Government should also commit to ensuring that risk management authorities are resourced and supported to …
Response attribution not verified
#10 —
Recommendation: The Government must provide leadership to ensure that the division of flood risk responsibilities among various organisations does not result in local communities experiencing a less efficient and responsive approach to flood risk management than if all responsibilities were brought …
Response attribution not verified
#7 —
Recommendation: The Government’s refusal to set a national standard for resilience to flooding means there is uncertainty about the level of its ambition. We would expect the Government to show leadership in the face of severe and growing risk by setting …
Response attribution not verified
#24 —
Recommendation: The Government should issue a Light Policy Statement for England which details the Government ’s policy on minimising light pollution and the roles it expects different departments to play.
Response attribution not verified
#22 —
Recommendation: The Government should introduce an import ban to prevent goods produced using forced labour from entering the UK market. This should establish: (i) how the risk of forced labour in supply chains will be identified; (ii) who is responsible for …
Response attribution not verified
#3 —
Recommendation: There is a lack of visible leadership and coordination within government on tackling forced labour in UK supply chains. (Conclusion, Paragraph 34)
Response attribution not verified
#37 —
Recommendation: We recommend this new unit has a central role in coordinating the UK’s response to TNR, ensuring that intelligence, law enforcement, and policy functions are aligned and responsive to emerging threats. We recommend the appointment of a dedicated lead for …
Response attribution not verified
#36 —
Recommendation: The UK’s response to TNR would benefit significantly from more structured and consistent coordination across government departments. Currently, responsibilities related to TNR are dispersed across the Home Office, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the National Crime Agency (NCA), and …
Response attribution not verified
#11 —
Recommendation: The responsibility of riparian owners to maintain watercourses so as not to increase flood risk to others is well established in common law. Obviously, individuals must first know whether they are riparian owners, and their responsibilities, if they are to …
Response attribution not verified
#30 —
Recommendation: Written evidence from Flood Re highlighted that the Agency does not have responsibility for surface water flooding and it has concerns about the impacts of developments in dense urban areas where surface water flood risks are high. It also has …
Response attribution not verified
#21 —
Recommendation: The Agency recognised that the way flood risks are often described, using percentages and probabilities of being flooded, are not very meaningful for the public. It described 18 Q 27: C&AG’s Report, para 16 19 Letter dated 27 January from …
Response attribution not verified
#32 —
Recommendation: The Government should clarify how it intends to define flood risk in the planning system. This includes clarifying how this will take account of the possible impact of climate change and how it fits within wider flooding policy.
Response attribution not verified
#11 —
Recommendation: Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs) are not consistently integrated into Local Plans, resulting in planning decisions that do not account for future coastalchange risks. The mismatch between Local Plan timescales and the longerterm horizons of SMPs could lead to developments being …
Response attribution not verified
#21 — Coordinate departments and Crown Estate to site offshore wind away from sensitive areas.
Recommendation: We recommend the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) coordinate with The Crown Estate to ensure that offshore wind developments are developed away from the most sensitive and …
Response attribution not verified
#8 — Mandate catchment-scale planning and delivery through regional partnerships with statutory duties by 2027
Recommendation: Catchment-based planning must become the default approach, not a discretionary extra. By 2027, the Government should mandate catchment- scale planning and delivery through regional partnerships with defined statutory duties, long-term funding, and clear oversight. These partnerships should coordinate key actors …
Response attribution not verified
#34 —
Recommendation: We have listened with great concern to evidence that local communities feel disengaged and ignored in decisions relevant to flood risk. It is clear that, where risk management authorities do engage with local people, this engagement is often not perceived …
Response attribution not verified
#25 —
Recommendation: We also asked the Agency about the reasons for the wide variation in the level of flood defence investment per property at risk between regions. The Agency explained that the level of flood risk will determine where investment is made. …
Response attribution not verified
#24 —
Recommendation: The Agency published a report in 2020 which showed that people from more deprived areas faced greater flood risk than those living in less deprived areas, although the gap had narrowed in the last 15 years. The report also showed …
Response attribution not verified
#23 —
Recommendation: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (the Department) told us that the responsibility for deciding which flood defence schemes to invest in is delegated to the Environment Agency (the Agency). The Agency explained that it decides which schemes …
Response attribution not verified
#22 —
Recommendation: The Department has committed to developing a new national set of indicators on flood risk by spring 2022. It confirmed that these new indicators will be measurable and will enable the tracking of national flood risk over time.25 24 Q …
Response attribution not verified
#3 —
Recommendation: In 2014 the NAO report on strategic flood management found there was a profusion of plans that often duplicate across geographical or administrative areas. Defra and the Agency have not followed the NAO recommendation to review their strategies and plans …
Response attribution not verified
#13 —
Recommendation: Past FCERM funding arrangements have limited support for coastal management by relying on narrow benefit assessments that overlook wider, nonmonetised risks from coastal erosion and the existential pressures facing coastal communities and industries. We welcome the Government’s intention to incorporate …
Response attribution not verified
#12 —
Recommendation: The Environment Agency should work with MHCLG to strengthen the role of SMPs within Local Plans and use the ongoing Local Plan reforms to establish a statutory requirement for coastal planning authorities to incorporate SMPs as a core part of …
Response attribution not verified
#3 —
Recommendation: The estate agent and conveyancing processes fail to reliably identify or disclose coastal erosion and landslide risks, leaving homebuyers without vital information. This is unacceptable given that clear risk data is already publicly available through tools such as National Coastal …
Response attribution not verified
#1 —
Recommendation: Coastal erosion and landslides have profound and far reaching consequences for individuals, families, and communities. While the physical loss of homes, buildings, and infrastructure is visible and measurable, the broader human and social impacts are equally severe but are not …
Response attribution not verified
#17 —
Recommendation: Efforts should be made to develop synergies between climate mitigation efforts, such as protecting against rising sea-levels, and measures to protect transport infrastructure. Noting that significant Welsh transport infrastructure lies either adjacent to the coast or runs along valley lines …
Response attribution not verified
#14 —
Recommendation: In its response, Defra should provide a plan setting out how wider nonmonetised benefits for coastal erosion projects will be incorporated into the reformed FCERM funding model. This plan should: 22 a. Specify the benefits to be included in the …
Response attribution not verified
#10 —
Recommendation: When the CTAP pilot concludes in 2027, Defra should move away from a selective piloting approach. In its response to this report, it should commit to establishing a longterm national strategy that provides financial assistance and relocation support for properties …
Response attribution not verified
#9 —
Recommendation: Innovative adaptation measures, including property purchase and relocation schemes, have been successfully piloted through the Coastal Change Pathfinder and the ongoing Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme (CTAP). However, these benefits remain confined to selected pilot areas for a limited period, and …
Response attribution not verified
#8 —
Recommendation: Defra should commit to reviewing the current 2009 property purchase qualifying date and value of the Coastal Erosion Assistance Grant (CEAG) and, by June 2026, launch a structured assessment of whether this threshold and available grant remain justified. This review …
Response attribution not verified
#7 —
Recommendation: The restriction in eligibility for the Coastal Erosion Assistance Grant (CEAG) to properties purchased before June 2009 is arbitrary. It also fails to reflect the reality that erosion risks continue to be poorly communicated during property transactions and are intensifying …
Response attribution not verified
Independent reviews(24)
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 79
Government Offices, in conjunction with the Local Government Association, should develop arrangements to provide advice and support from experienced organisations to areas dealing with recovery from severe flooding emergencies.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 78
Aims and objectives for the recovery phase should be agreed at the outset by Recovery Coordinating Groups to provide focus and enable orderly transition into mainstream programmes when multi-agency coordination of recovery is no longer required.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 77
National and local Recovery Co-ordinating Groups should be established from the outset of major emergencies and in due course there should be formal handover from the crisis machinery.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 76
Local authorities should coordinate a systematic programme of community engagemment in their area during the recovery phase.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 75
For emergencies spanning more than a single local authority area, Government Offices should ensure coherence and coordination, if necessary, between recovery operations.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 68
Council leaders and chief executives should play a prominent role in public reassurance and advice through the local media during a flooding emergency, as part of a coordinated effort overseen by Gold Commanders.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 66
Local authority contact centres should take the lead in dealing with general enquiries from the public during and after major flooding, redirecting calls to other organisations when appropriate.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 42
Where a Gold Command is established for severe weather events, the police, unless agreed otherwise locally, should convene and lead the multi-agency response.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 41
Upper tier local authorities should be the lead responders in relation to multi-agency planning for severe weather emergencies at the local level and for triggering multi-agency arrangements in response to severe weather warnings and local impact assesments.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 39
The Government should urgently put in place a fully funded national capability for flood rescue with Fire and Rescue Authorities playing a leading role, underpinned as necessary by a statutory duty.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 28
The forthcoming flooding legislation should be a single unifying Act that addresses all sources of flooding, clarifies responsibilities and facilitates flood risk management.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 20
The Government should resolve the issue of which organisations should be responsible for the ownership and maintenance of sustainable drainage systems.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 17
All relevant organisations should have a duty to share information and cooperate with local authorities and the Environment Agency to facilitate the management of flood risk.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 15
Local authorities should positively tackle local problems of flooding by working with all relevant parties, establishing ownership and legal responsibility.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 14
Local authorities should lead on the management of local flood risk, with the support of the relevant organisations.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 80
All central government guidance should be updated to reflect the new arrangements for recovery and Local Resilience Forums should plan, train and exercise on this basis.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 74
The monitoring of the impact of flooding on the health and wellbeing of people, and actions to mitigate and manage the effects, should form a systematic part of the work of Recovery Coordinating Groups.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 72
Local response and recovery coordinating groups should ensure that health and wellbeing support is readily available to those affected by flooding based on the advice developed by the Department of Health.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 64
Local Resilience Forums should continue to develop plans for door-knocking, coordinated by local authorities, to enhance flood warnings before flooding and to provide information and assess welfare needs once flooding has receded.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 56
The Government should issue clear guidance on expected levels of Category 2 responders’ engagement in planning, exercising and response and consider the case for strengthening enforcement arrangements.
Other
Cunliffe Water Commission — Rec 72
Recommendation 72: The role of water companies in the planning process in England should be strengthened to ensure they have sufficient sight and influence over upcoming developments. The 'right to connect' should be reviewed. In line with recommendations in Chapter 2, the independent systems planners should also have a role …
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 90
All upper tier local authorities should establish Oversight and Scrutiny Committees to review work by public sector bodies and essential service providers in order to manage flood risk, underpinned by a legal requirement to cooperate and share information.
Other
Pitt Floods Review — Rec 81
There should be an agreed framework, including definitions and timescales, for local-central recovery reporting.
Other
Kerslake Review — Rec 2
The future role of the Mayor of Greater Manchester in emergencies should be clarified and included in the Greater Manchester Resilience Forum’s plans, training and exercises
Policing & Security
Accepted
LGO / SPSO decisions(38)
25-022-079 — East Sussex County Council
We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint the Council failed to properly manage flood risk to her home from nearby lakes. This is because further investigation is unlikely to find fault in the Councils actions. Mrs X’s main claims around of liability for damages and financial loss are matters for …
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Feb 2026
PSOW-202204317 — Newport City Homes
Ms L complained that Newport City Homes (“the Association”)failed to resolve her concerns regarding a boundary around the front of her property which is located on a busy road. She further complained that the speed of the vehicles travelling on that road left her in fear of an accident, and …
PSOW (Public Services Om…
Oct 2022
21-012-620 — North Yorkshire County Council
Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s decision not to carry out road drainage works to prevent flooding at his property. We will not investigate the complaint because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault by the Council.
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Jan 2022
21-013-614 — Surrey County Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the mishandling and mismanagement of flood issues at a surface water outlet near the complainant’s home. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. The complaint is late …
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Feb 2022
20-014-236 — North Yorkshire County Council
Summary: Mrs D complained the Council, in its role as a Lead Flood Authority, failed to take enforcement action against her neighbour for works to his garden which impacted their underground drainage system. As a result, she said she experienced distress due to flooding of her garden and risk of …
LGO (Local Government & …
Planning
Not Upheld
May 2022
PSOW-202102459 — Isle of Anglesey County Council
Mr A complained that the Isle of Anglesey County Council refused to take responsibility for damage caused to his property as a result of drainage works it undertook to alleviate the risk of internal flooding to properties in the vicinity of Mr A’s home address. The Ombudsman found that the …
PSOW (Public Services Om…
Local Government
May 2022
PSOW-202309798 — Flintshire County Council
Miss J complained that she had not received a response from Flintshire County Council to a complaint she raised about flooding outside her home. The Ombudsman found there had been a delay in responding to the complaint. She felt this caused additional frustration and inconvenience to Miss J. She decided …
PSOW (Public Services Om…
Local Government
Apr 2024
21-003-413 — Lewes District Council
Summary: Mr X complained about Council’s decision to discharge a planning condition for surface water drainage without properly consulting with the flood authority. We have found the Council was at fault for not doing so, however this did not affect the outcome because retrospective approval for the scheme was given. …
LGO (Local Government & …
Planning
Upheld
Feb 2022
21-008-142 — Kent County Council
Summary: Mr X complains about the way the Council responded to and dealt with his reports of flooding at his property caused by a blocked drain near to his home. We found no evidence of fault in the way the Council responded to Mr X’s concerns about the blocked drain. …
LGO (Local Government & …
Transport And Highways
Upheld
Mar 2022
22-004-724 — Buckinghamshire Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council has managed the flood risks associated with a major infrastructure project. This is because the injustice that Mr X describes, is a matter for the courts. Other elements of Mr X’s complaint are premature.
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Aug 2022
24-017-111 — City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council
Summary: Mrs B complained that the Council has not taken enforcement action when a neighbouring landowner failed to do work to alleviate flood risk to Mrs B’s property. The Council investigated the issue and paid for contractors to find the solution. It then properly considered whether to take enforcement action …
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Not Upheld
Aug 2025
201300513 — Argyll and Bute Council
Mr C's home was regularly affected by flooding. Mr C complained that this was due to an inadequate road drainage system. He said that the council had accepted this, but although they had committed in 2012 to resolve the problem, no work had been carried out. The council said they …
SPSO (Scottish Public Se…
Local Government
Upheld
May 2015
24-020-692 — Middlesbrough Borough Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s response to damage, caused by flooding, to Mrs X’s property. Mrs X has an alternative legal remedy through the courts who can decide liability. And given the circumstances of her complaint, it would be reasonable to expect her to use …
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Jan 2026
PSOW-202205559 — Powys County Council
Mr X complained that Powys County Council (“the Council”) failed to keep him informed about works to be carried out in respect of flooding in the vicinity of his property. He said that he had not been contacted since July 2022, despite the Council’s agreement to keep him updated. The …
PSOW (Public Services Om…
Local Government
Feb 2023
22-000-620 — Hastings Borough Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about drainage. This is because the court is better placed to deal with the complaint.
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
May 2022
21-018-328 — Scarborough Borough Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to take enforcement action against a nuisance reported by Mr X. This is because an investigation is unlikely to find evidence of fault by the Council.
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
May 2022
22-003-863 — Devon County Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council has failed to properly clear a blocked culvert which has caused flooding on to Ms X’s property. This is because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault by the Council.
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Jul 2022
22-009-726 — Northumberland County Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about ownership of a blocked drain beneath the pavement outside the complainant’s home. It is reasonable for the complainant to seek a decision from the courts about ownership of the land and consequent responsibility for the drain.
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Dec 2022
22-006-284 — Basildon Borough Council
Summary: Mr X complained the Council has failed to suitability investigate a noise nuisance complaint about private-contracted bin collections since June 2021. We found fault with the Council failing to complete a suitable noise nuisance investigation. The Council agreed to our recommendations to produce a plan of action for completing …
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Upheld
Dec 2022
23-020-631 — Somerset Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about drainage because the courts are better placed to deal with the complaint.
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Apr 2024
24-000-189 — Mole Valley District Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about drainage because the courts and insurers are better placed to consider the issue.
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Apr 2024
24-018-907 — West Sussex County Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about highway drainage because we are satisfied with the actions the Council proposes to take and further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
LGO (Local Government & …
Transport And Highways
Apr 2025
25-001-183 — Nottinghamshire County Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s publication of a report on flooding following a storm in Mr X’s area in 2024. The courts are better placed to consider whether the report was negligent in the way the data was reported.
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Jul 2025
201301819 — Fife Council
Mrs C complained about how the council handled work that would possibly reroute sewerage infrastructure through her garden. The work was to be done as part of the council’s flood defence programme, which was originally the subject of public consultation. The original plans had a minimal effect on Mrs C, …
SPSO (Scottish Public Se…
Local Government
Upheld
Oct 2014
25-010-394 — Wiltshire Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of the Property Flood Resilience Grant process, or its decision not to complete maintenance work on a culvert. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify the Ombudsman’s involvement.
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Jan 2026
21-006-817 — Cheshire East Council
Summary: Miss X complained the Council did not take proper action in response to her complaint about a flooding problem on the carriageway outside her property. The Council was at fault because it delayed completing an investigation. This caused Miss X uncertainty, frustration and time and trouble. The Council has …
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Upheld
Feb 2022
22-007-367 — Gloucestershire County Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s management of traffic in Mr X’s locale on home football match days. This is because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault by the Council sufficient to warrant investigation.
LGO (Local Government & …
Transport And Highways
Oct 2022
23-016-666 — Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Summary: We will not investigate Mr and Mrs X’s complaint, brought by Mr Y, about the Council denying responsibility for flooding of their back garden. The complaint amounts to a claim that the Council is liable for the flooding and damage to their property. We cannot make findings on legal …
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Mar 2024
24-004-422 — Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council
Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council refusing to investigate a gully outside her property that frequently gets blocked. This is because an investigation would not lead to any worthwhile outcomes.
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Aug 2024
24-004-168 — Rutland County Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to manage surface water run off where she lives. The Council has cleared and jetted the relevant drains/gullies and has commissioned a report in accordance with its duties under section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act. The …
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Aug 2024
24-008-964 — Devon County Council
Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that a council officer refused to communicate with him directly when he contacted them to discuss highway issues in his area. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council or to show its actions caused Mr X …
LGO (Local Government & …
Transport And Highways
Sep 2024
24-023-032 — Buckinghamshire Council
Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to re-evaluate the flow rates for the Sustainable Urban Drainage Scheme at a new housing development increasing flooding in the village where he lives. We have discontinued the investigation. This is because we cannot achieve the outcome Mr X is seeking.
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Not Upheld
Sep 2025
201201979 — Scottish Water
Mr C had experienced a recurring problem of raw sewage being discharged into his back garden during heavy rainfall. Scottish Water had investigated and carried out some repairs, but this had not resolved the problem. Mr C believed that this was happening because the sewer was not able to cope …
SPSO (Scottish Public Se…
Water
Not Upheld
Dec 2012
201907203 — Scottish Water
C complained that Scottish Water had failed to respond appropriately to a number of flooding incidents in their property. C said that Scottish Water had not been open or honest about the cause of the flooding and were refusing to take the only action which would guarantee the protection of …
SPSO (Scottish Public Se…
Water
Not Upheld
Feb 2021
22-008-810 — Chorley Borough Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of drainage issues affecting Mr X’s land. This is because he has a court remedy against the Council which places the complaint outside our jurisdiction.
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Oct 2022
22-008-896 — Norfolk County Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Ms X’s access rights to her property as this is a matter for the courts.
LGO (Local Government & …
Transport And Highways
Oct 2022
25-008-684 — Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s management of the flood risk to Mr X’s property. This is because there are other bodies better placed to consider Mr X’s complaint, and it is reasonable to expect him to take the Council to court to seek damages.
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Sep 2025
24-007-975 — Cheshire East Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Mr X’s neighbour’s septic tank. This is because there is no evidence to suggest fault by the Council.
LGO (Local Government & …
Environment And Regulation
Oct 2024