South Gloucestershire Council

Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 states that:

1. on becoming aware of a flood in its area, a Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) must, to the extent that it considers necessary or appropriate, investigate:

• which risk management authorities have relevant flood risk management functions, and
• whether each of those risk management authorities has exercised, or is proposing to exercise, those functions in response to the flood

2. where an authority carried out an investigation under subsection (1) it must:

• publish the results of its investigation, and
• notify any relevant risk management authorities

NB:  The term “flood” includes any case where land not normally covered by water becomes covered by water (from natural sources).  It does not include flooding from a burst water main or any part of the sewage network (unless caused by the volume of rainwater entering the system).

The council is developing its flood investigations policy.  This will be focusing on the risk and interpretation of the “necessary or appropriate” wording.  The likelihood is that internal flooding of two or more properties in rural area and five or more properties in urban area will trigger the need to investigate.  This will be consistent with the other LLFAs in the South West.

Flood Investigation – Oldbury-on-Severn, March and November 2016

It was deemed necessary to complete a formal investigation into flooding incidents in the Oldbury-on-Severn area that occurred on 9 March 2016 and during November 2016.

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Flood Investigation – NHS Blood and Transplant Centre, September 2012

It was deemed necessary to complete a formal investigation into the flood incident at the NHS Blood and Transplant Centre, Filton that occurred on 24 September 2012.

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