About flood risk management

Under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, County Councils and Unitary Authorities are designated as Lead Local Flood Authorities. The County Council is the strategic leader for flood risk management within Staffordshire and our responsibilities include:

• Developing a Local Flood Risk Management Strategy.
  
  
• Ensuring that all organisations involved in flood risk management are aware of their responsibilities.
   
• Monitoring progress and activity by all parties involved in flood risk management.
   
• Coordinating communication, both with the public and between organisations.
   
• Preparing reports and plans to meet the requirements of the Flood Risk Regulations 2009.
   
• Carrying out flood investigations where appropriate and publishing reports.
   
• Keeping an asset register of structures and features which may have a significant effect on local flood risk.
   
• Designation of third-party assets where appropriate.
   
• Regulation of ordinary watercourses, including permissive powers to require landowners to maintain ordinary watercourses on their land / property.
   
• Providing technical advice to Local Planning Authorities on surface water drainage strategies for major developments.

We also have permissive powers which allow us to carry out works to manage flood risk from surface water and groundwater.

More information on our approach to managing flood risk can be found in our Local Flood Risk Management Strategy.