Strategic Flood Risk Assessment - South Worcestershire ...

surface water management strategy in a given location. SWMPs establish a long-term actionplan to manage surface water in an area and should influence future capital investment,drainage maintenance, public engagement and understanding, land-use planning, emergencyplanning and future developments 8 .The preparation of the SWMP is being led by the Flood Risk Regulations and the FWMA and willform an important part of the Local Flood Risk Management Strategy (LFRMS).2.7 Association of British Insurers: Guidance on Insurance and Planning inFlood Risk Areas for Local Planning Authorities in EnglandThe Association of British Insurers (ABI) and the National Flood Forum have published guidancefor local authorities on planning in flood risk areas. The guidance aims to help local authorities inEngland when producing local plans and dealing with planning applications in flood risk areas.The guidance complements the National Planning Policy Framework. The keyrecommendations from the guidance are 9 :Ensure strong relationships with technical experts on flood riskConsider flooding from all sources, taking account of climate changeTake potential impacts on drainage infrastructure seriouslyEnsure that flood risk is mitigated to acceptable levels for proposed developmentsMake sure Local Plans take account of all relevant costs and are regularly reviewed2.8 Implications for South WorcestershireWorcestershire County Council’s emerging Local Flood Risk Management Strategy is a statutorydocument and the district councils have a duty, under the FWMA, to “exercise their flood riskmanagement functions in a manner consistent with local and national strategies, and to haveregard to those strategies in their other functions.”The new and emerging responsibilities for the risk management authorities under the Flood andWater Management Act and the Flood Risk Regulations are summarised in Table 2-1.Risk ManagementAuthority (RMA)Environment AgencyLead Local Flood Authority(Worcestershire CountyCouncil)Table 2-1: Roles and Responsibilities in South WorcestershireStrategic LevelNational Statutory StrategyReporting and supervision(overview role)Input to national strategy.Formulate and implement localflood risk managementstrategy.Surface Water ManagementPlansMaintenance of a register ofstructures/features which havea significant effect on flood riskOperational LevelMain rivers, reservoirsPreliminary Flood RiskAssessment (per RiverBasin District)Identify Significant FloodRisk AreaFlood Risk and HazardMapsFlood Risk ManagementPlanSurface water, groundwater,ordinary watercourse (delegatedto District authorities), othersources of floodingPrepare and publish aPFRAIdentify Flood Risk AreasPrepare Flood Hazard andFlood Risk MapsPrepare Flood RiskManagement Plans8 Surface Water Management Plan Technical Guidance (Defra, 2010)9 Guidance on Insurance and Planning in Flood Risk Areas for Local Planning Authorities in England (Association ofBritish Insurers and National Flood Forum, April 2012)2012s5947 S Worcestershire Level 2 SFRA Update FINAL Report v1.0.doc 15