Section 19 of the Flood & Water Management Act 2010 (FWMA) requires that the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) undertake an investigation (to the extent that it considers it necessary or appropriate) upon becoming aware of flooding in its area. The role of the LLFA in Warwickshire is carried out by the Flood Risk Management team at Warwickshire County Council (WCC).
The flood investigation must also determine the risk management authorities (RMAs) that have relevant flood risk management functions and whether each of those authorities have exercised or is proposing to exercise those functions in response to the flood. Warwickshire County Council’s Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP) identifies the thresholds that will apply when determining whether an investigation under Section 19 of the FWMA is required.
These thresholds are as follows:
- Flooding that poses a threat to the safety of the public or may directly result in serious injury or death
- Five or more residential properties internally flooded
- Two or more commercial properties internally flooded
- One or more piece of critical infrastructure affected that impact on the wider area
- Flooding that places vulnerable individuals or vulnerable communities at risk e.g. hospitals, care and nursing homes, schools, etc.
- Where one or more residential properties have flooded internally from the same source on five or more occasions within the last five years
There are a number of instances where flooding in Warwickshire has met or exceeded one or more of the thresholds above and therefore a formal investigation has been carried out and a report produced. Published Section 19 reports are available to download from the Documents and Downloads section.