Flood and Water Management Act 2010

9 Local flood risk management strategies: England

(1) A lead local flood authority for an area in England must develop, maintain, apply and monitor a strategy for local flood risk management in its area (a “local flood risk management strategy”).

(2) In subsection (1) “local flood risk” means flood risk from—

(a) surface runoff,

(b) groundwater, and

(c) ordinary watercourses.

(3) In subsection (2)(c) the reference to an ordinary watercourse includes a reference to a lake, pond or other area of water which flows into an ordinary watercourse.

(4) The strategy must specify—

(a) the risk management authorities in the authority’s area,

(b) the flood and coastal erosion risk management functions that may be exercised by those authorities in relation to the area,

(c) the objectives for managing local flood risk (including any objectives included in the authority’s flood risk management plan prepared in accordance with the Flood Risk Regulations 2009),

(d) the measures proposed to achieve those objectives,

(e) how and when the measures are expected to be implemented,

(f) the costs and benefits of those measures, and how they are to be paid for,

(g) the assessment of local flood risk for the purpose of the strategy,

(h) how and when the strategy is to be reviewed, and

(i) how the strategy contributes to the achievement of wider environmental objectives.

(5) The strategy must be consistent with the national flood and coastal erosion risk management strategy for England under section 7.

(6) A lead local flood authority must consult the following about its local flood risk management strategy—

(a) risk management authorities that may be affected by the strategy (including risk management authorities in Wales), and

(b) the public.

(7) A lead local flood authority must publish a summary of its local flood risk management strategy (including guidance about the availability of relevant information).

(8) A lead local flood authority may issue guidance about the application of the local flood risk management strategy in its area.

(9) A lead local flood authority must have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State about—

(a) the local flood risk management strategy, and

(b) guidance under subsection (8).