(1)For the purpose of preventing or mitigating the flooding of land in their area, not being agricultural land, any council to whom this section applies may, so far as they think fit and subject to the provisions of this Act, exercise all or any of the powers specified in subsection (1) of the next following section.
(2)This section applies to all town councils and county councils; and in this Act any reference to a local authority is a reference to a council to whom this section applies, and " area " in relation to a local authority means, in the case of a town council, the burgh and, in the case of a county council, the county exclusive of any burgh situated therein.