The first and most urgent action for LCC is to ensure that all our highways
drainage worked as well as it possibly could have done in the heavy rainfall on Monday
evening. The local Highways team has not yet found any defects which would have
interfered with drainage on Monday night and whilst it is still early days for their work,
what they are finding tends to indicate that there was nothing wrong with the highway
drainage, there was just too much rain falling too quickly for it all to run straightaway
into the gullies.
In very much the same vein, United Utilities plc is responding to check public sewers
and other drainage assets. I expect to receive their first report next week.
We strongly recommend that everyone affected checks their own private drainage
systems (gutters, downspouts and other private drain pipes or ponds etc) to ensure
these were working as well as they could on the night and to correct any defects.
Also at this time, the Flood Risk Management team signposts affected people to
advice on the North West Flood hub: Household | The Flood Hub where they can find
suggestions on what to consider after they have been flooded. This page also covers
information on the national ‘Flood Re’ insurance system which ensures that every
household has access to cover for flood damage. I would urge people looking for this
specialist insurance to work either directly with insurance firms or through brokers.
Price comparison websites rarely offer the level of detail necessary to secure flood
insurance cover.
The next step for the county council is for the Flood Risk Management team to collect
data relating to the incident including locations affected, the condition of all public and
private drainage assets, rainfall intensity, river levels and tide levels. This process was
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initiated on Tuesday afternoon when my team was made aware of flooded homes and
business premises, and it will continue until we are satisfied that we have all relevant
information.
In this regard, it would be very helpful if your council could encourage affected people
to make their reports to the county council (we can also work with reports made directly
to your council if you would kindly arrange to forward them to our team mailbox
[email protected]). The attached form identifies the information that is of most
value, and you are welcome to distribute it. It would be most helpful if completed forms
could be returned to us by post to LCC Flood Risk Management Team, Highways
Offices, Cuerden Way, Bamber Bridge, Preston PR5 6BS, or scanned/photographed
and emailed to us by members of the public using this address:
[email protected]. Alternatively, if people prefer to give information over
the phone they are welcome to ring our support team on 0300-123-6780 during
working hours.
Once all relevant data has been gathered, on behalf of the Lead Local Flood Authority
the Flood Risk Management team will start the process of identifying which drainage
authority had a role in the event, and what they have done about it, so that we can in
due course publish a report in line with our duties under Section 19 of the Flood and
Water Management Act 2010.
I hope this advice is helpful, and if I can give further advice on any point, you are very
welcome to contact me directly.
Yours sincerely,
Rachel Crompton (she/her)
Principal Flood Risk Office