Flooding is often unpredictable and always difficult to manage. Yet it is far more challenging when the systems we have in place to deal with flooding are fragmented, with the only coordination coming from centralised bodies of experts. Local knowledge is ignored too often and local people are rarely engaged in the issues.

This LGiU project looked at ways of giving local people a greater say in decisions that can protect their homes and communities from the disastrous effects of flooding. As part of our work with the Local Government Flood Forum we examined different governance arrangements across the country to see how these can be made more effective and inclusive, with a particular emphasis on the potential of technology to improve resilience. For the research we interviewed flooding officers from local authorities recently affected by flooding, as well as key local stakeholders, including planners, water companies, drainage boards, businesses, and civil society organisations.

The final report makes a number of recommendations including the establishment of local flood forums.

For more information about this project contact Andrew Walker: andrew.walker@lgiu.org.