Through the introduction of both European and UK legislation Dudley Council, like the majority of local authorities across the UK, is now identified as a lead local flood authority (LLFA).
This new role gives Dudley Council the responsibility of managing surface water flooding across the borough.
The legislation requires the council to assess the risk of surface water flooding in any area of the borough and develop and formally adopt what is known as locally agreed surface water information.
Surface water refers primarily to surface run-off, groundwater and ordinary watercourses. It does not directly consider flooding from main rivers.
The locally agreed surface water information consists of a preliminary flood risk assessment (PFRA) report and surface water flood map for the borough.
The PFRA is a high level screening exercise which involves collecting information on past (historic) and future (potential) floods, assembling it into a preliminary assessment report, and using it to identify flood risk areas where the risk of flooding is significant.
The map and associated information is intended for guidance, and cannot provide details for individual properties. Dudley Council, along with many other local authorities, has decided the locally agreed surface water map information is to be based on the adoption of the Environment Agency’s flood maps for surface water.
In 2013 the Environment Agency, working with Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs), produced the updated Flood Map for Surface Water (uFMfSW).
The updated flood maps replace the Surface Water Maps included in the Council’s Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (PFRA) produced in 2011.
The uFMfSW maps include information on flood extents, depths and velocity (speed and direction).
The uFMfSW maps can be viewed on the Risk of Flooding from Surface Water map on the Environment Agency website. It is available alongside maps showing the risk from other sources of flooding, including the Risk of Flooding from Rivers and Sea map, the Risk of Flooding from Reservoirs map. This will help provide a consistent understanding of flood risk across all sources of flooding. The Flood Map for Planning (Rivers and Sea) contains Flood Zones, which are used for land use planning.
The uFMfSW will now represent the Council’s Locally Agreed Surface Water Information as defined in the Council’s PFRA.
The maps do not show flooding associated with main rivers. For information in relation to main river flooding you are advised to consult the Environment Agency: www.environment-agency.gov.uk and search for ‘what’s in your backyard?’
The Director of the Urban Environment, cabinet member for transportation and the council’s select committee on the environment endorse this document and understand the roles and responsibilities of the council as lead local flood authority.