Strategies and flood defence projects
After the floods of 2007 the Government asked Sir Michael Pitt to review the lessons learned from the summer floods.
Over the 10 months the review team examined over 1000 written submissions consulting with many communities and flood risk responders to what was the largest peacetime emergency since World War II. See the review in full.
In 2009, the Government transposed the European Floods Directive 2007/60/EC into a Statutory Instrument called the Flood Risk Regulations.
This required councils to undertake a preliminary flood risk assessment, to measure and subsequently identify and manage flood risk and hazard from all sources within a Flood Risk Management Plan (FRMP).
Harrow has submitted their measures to the Environment Agency, to include in the FRMP for the Thames River Basin District, which was published on 17th March 2016.
The Flood Risk Regulations 2009 and the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 have increased the statutory responsibilities local authorities including a new role of Lead Local Flood Authority.
The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 builds on the Flood Risk Regulations 2009. It includes a Local Flood Risk Management Strategy (LFRMS), aiming to provide a more comprehensive and holistic approach to flood risk management for our communities, businesses and infrastructure.
Our LFRMS brings together this holistic approach by aligning with the council's local plans and policies. This includes such as our Strategic Flood Risk Assessments and the Surface Water Management Plan, which has determined our Critical Drainage Areas.
The LFRMS details our actions and linkage to the Local Flood Risk Management Plan. This was to improve the understanding of the risk and provide clear information. It sets out the roles and responsibilities of all risk management authorities and to ensure that our multi agency flood plan and response to floods is effective.
The Local Flood Risk Management Strategy will enable the council to formalise our longer term vision and flood risk management priorities. This will shape a strategy that delivers the greatest benefit to our residents and environment in Harrow.