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Local Flood Risk Management Strategy: February 2022

This local flood risk management strategy was produced by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to set out how local flood risk will be managed in their area. It considers sources of local flooding like surface water, ordinary watercourses, and artificial infrastructure. It provides context on the area's flood risk and links to other relevant strategies. The strategy identifies objectives and an action plan to manage flood risk and will be reviewed annually to adapt to changing conditions like climate change. It was created in response to the EU Floods Directive and the Pitt Review on the 2007 floods.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
60 views27 pages

Local Flood Risk Management Strategy: February 2022

This local flood risk management strategy was produced by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to set out how local flood risk will be managed in their area. It considers sources of local flooding like surface water, ordinary watercourses, and artificial infrastructure. It provides context on the area's flood risk and links to other relevant strategies. The strategy identifies objectives and an action plan to manage flood risk and will be reviewed annually to adapt to changing conditions like climate change. It was created in response to the EU Floods Directive and the Pitt Review on the 2007 floods.

Uploaded by

张衣铭
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Local Flood Risk

Management
Strategy
February 2022

Produced: Drainage Team


File: 17/187/46
Issued: 16/02/2022
Edition: 2
Revision: 2
February 2022 DRAFT FOR DISCUSSION Produced by: Streetpride Drainage Team
File: 187/46 Environment & Development Services
CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Overview 1
1.2 Sources of Flooding 2
1.3 Introduction to the Area 3

2.0 LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT 4

3.0 LINKS TO OTHER STRATEGIES 5


3.1 National Plans 6
3.2 Regional Plans 6
3.3 Rotherham Local Plans – (Flood related) 8
3.4 Rotherham Local Plans – (non flood related) 8

4.0 ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL FLOOD RISK 10


4.1 Past flood events 10
4.2 Environment Agency Surface Water Flood Risk Modelling 10

5.0 GOVERNANCE AND PARTNERSHIP ARRANGEMENTS 11

6.0 OBJECTIVES OF THE STRATEGY 13

7.0 ACTION PLAN 13

8.0 FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT FUNDING 14

9.0 THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE 15


9.1 Effects of Climate Change 15
9.2 Implications for Flood Risk 16
9.3 Adapting to Change 16
9.4 Long Term Developments 17

10.0 ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIC


ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 17

11.0 CIVIL CONTINGENCIES AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE 18

12.0 THE ROLE OF THE PLANNING AUTHORITY 18

13.0 ADDRESSING THE SKILLS GAP 18

14.0 DATA MANAGEMENT 19

15.0 THE ROLE OF SCRUTINY AND OVERVIEW COMMITTEES 19

16.0 REVIEWING AND REVISING THE STRATEGY 20

17.0 GLOSSARY AND ACRONYMS

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APPENDICES
Appendix A – Update on Objectives

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1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Overview
In June 2008, Sir Michael Pitt published his final report, Learning Lessons from the
2007 Floods, which called for urgent and fundamental changes in the way the
country is adapting to the increased risk of flooding, the need to provide consistent
and co-ordinated management of flood risk, communication with communities,
identification of those responsible in the local management of flood events, and
adaptation to climate change. The report states that local authorities should play a
major role in the management of local flood risk, taking the lead in tackling problems
of local flooding and co-ordinating all relevant agencies.

The Flood Risk Regulations 2009 and Flood and Water Management Act 2010 are
an important part of the Government’s response to the Pitt Report. The Act is
intended to create a more integrated, comprehensive and risk-based regime for
managing the risk of flood and coastal erosion, including identifying clear
responsibilities. In light of this, local authorities are being granted new powers and
existing responsibilities for local flood risk management are being extended.

This Local Flood Risk Management Strategy was originally produced by Rotherham
Metropolitan Borough Council in 2014 and is now to be updated taking into
consideration the recent devasting flods of 2019 and recent changes from climate
change. This is to set out how the local flood risk within the borough will be
managed. The brief for the strategy was approved by Cabinet on 19 March 2012.

The general principles of the Local Flood Risk Strategy are:


o Community focus & partnership working
o Sustainability
o Risk Based Approach
o Multiple benefits

The Strategy identifies objectives that have recently been achieved and how they
have been achieved. Including new objectives more suited to the ever changing
climate.

This Strategy is a living document and will be subject to amendments and additions
year on year.

1.2 Sources of Flooding


This Strategy considers local flood risk, namely the following sources of flooding:

Surface water runoff – rainwater (including snow and other precipitation),


which is on the surface of the ground (whether or not it is moving), and has not
entered a watercourse, drainage system or public sewer. Flooding from surface
runoff is sometimes called pluvial flooding. Note that the term 'surface water' is
used generically to refer to water on the surface.

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Ordinary watercourse – any river, stream, ditch, cut, sluice, dike, culvert which
is not a main river.

Artificial water bearing infrastructure – includes reservoirs (see below),


sewers, water supply systems and canals. The strategy does not assess
flooding from sewers, unless wholly or partly caused by rainwater or other
precipitation entering or otherwise affecting the system. Floods of raw sewage
caused solely, for example, by a sewer blockage do not fall under the
Regulations. The Regulations also do not apply to floods from water supply
systems, e.g. burst water mains.

Groundwater – water which is below the surface of the ground and in direct
contact with the ground or subsoil. It is most likely to occur in areas underlain by
permeable rocks, called aquifers. Within Rotherham, deep flows within aquifers
do not generally cause flooding. Whilst flow of groundwater underground at
shallow depths may contribute to localised flooding where it emerges as springs
or issues, the flow closely mirrors surface flows and is not related to a
widespread rise in groundwater levels. Groundwater flooding has therefore not
been addressed separately to surface water flooding in this strategy.

This Strategy does not consider the following sources of flooding, except where
there is an interaction with surface water flooding for example where high water
levels within river impede the discharge from an ordinary watercourse:

Main river – watercourses legally defined and marked as such on the main
rivers map. Generally they are larger streams or rivers, but can be smaller
watercourses. The Environment Agency has flood risk management
responsibility for them.

Large reservoirs – Under the Reservoirs Act 1975, the owner is responsible
for regulating large raised reservoirs with a capacity exceeding 10,000 m³. The
owner must also have a flood plan, flood map and on-site emergency flood
plans.

1.3 Introduction to the Area


The Borough of Rotherham is situated in South Yorkshire and covers an area of
286km2 and has a population of approximately 257,280 (2011 census).
Rotherham is generally underlain by the middle coal measures with predominantly
impermeable soils and underlying strata. Consequently, the hydrology of the area is
dominated by surface or shallow depth flows.

The north-west and central areas of the Borough drain to the river Don, which runs
from Sheffield, through Rotherham town centre, where it is joined by the River
Rother, then to the north east where it is joined by the River Dearne near the
Boundary with Doncaster, and are within the Rotherham sub-area of the Don
Catchment in the Humber river basin district.

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The south east third of the Borough drains towards the River Ryton, is hydrologically
independent of the Don catchment and is within the Sherwood sub-area of the River
Trent Catchment Flood Management Plan in the Humber river basin district. The
boundaries between two water companies and Environment Agency (EA) regions
reflect these catchment boundaries, the south east being Severn Trent Water Ltd
and EA Midlands region, the remainder being Yorkshire Water Services Ltd and EA
Yorkshire & North East region.

The rivers classed as “main river” are shown on Figure 1 below.

Figure 1 - Main Rivers

2.0 LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT


The EU Floods Directive, was passed as a result of widespread flooding in Europe,
and has been transposed into UK law by the Flood Risk Regulations 2009.

In June 2008, Sir Michael Pitt published his final report, Learning Lessons from the
2007 Floods, which recognised that there were significant gaps in the powers held
by various bodies in trying to reduce and respond to the risk of flooding and called
for urgent and fundamental changes in the way the country is adapting to the
increased risk. The report includes 92 recommendations, of which 21 are specifically
designated to local authorities.

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The Governments response to the Pitt Review included the Flood and Water
Management Act 2010, which puts in place many of the changes recommended by
Sir Michael Pitt. Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs) have been designated and
have taken on new powers and duties extending their organisation’s previous
responsibilities for flood risk management and will therefore need to take resource
and organisational decisions to deliver the new legislative requirements.

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) 2000 is European legislation with the primary
aim of improving water quality. The Directive requires the creation of river basin
management plans and flood risk management plans.

3.0 LINKS TO OTHER STRATEGIES


This strategy must be consistent with national and regional strategies, the most
important of which are listed below.

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3.1 National Plans
National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England

In accordance with the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 this strategy builds
on existing approaches to flood and coastal risk management and promotes the use
of a wide range of measures to manage risk.

The strategy encourages more effective risk management by enabling people,


communities, business, infrastructure operators and the public sector to work
together to:

o Ensure a clear understanding of the risks of flooding and coastal erosion,


nationally and locally, so that investment in risk management can be prioritised
more effectively;

o Set out clear and consistent plans for risk management so that communities and
businesses can make informed decisions about the management of the
remaining risk;

o Manage flood and coastal erosion risks in an appropriate way, taking account of
the needs of communities and the environment;

o Ensure that emergency plans and responses to flood incidents are effective and
that communities are able to respond effectively to flood forecasts, warnings
and advice;

o Help communities to recover more quickly and effectively after incidents.

The strategy shows how communities can be more involved in local flood and
coastal erosion risk management. It also emphasises the need to balance national
and local activities and funding. In setting out future approaches to flood risk
management, this strategy considers the level of risk and how it might change in the
future, the risk management measures that may be used, roles and responsibilities,
future funding and the need for supporting information.

3.2 Regional Plans

South Yorkshire Catchment Plan

Following the 2019 flood event in South Yorkshire, Mayor Dan Jarvis and Local Authority
Leaders submitted a South Yorkshire Business and Infrastructure Resilience Priority Flood
Programme to Government, which included the proposal to prepare a catchment wide flood
plan covering the whole of South Yorkshire.

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The aim of this proposal was to develop a new more effective and integrated approach to
future flood policy and investment, taking a holistic ‘South Yorkshire’ approach to cover all
rivers and watercourses, rather than continuing to consider flood policy and investments in a
piecemeal way. It would also enable the potential future impacts of climate change to be
taken into account and better understand the contribution that Natural Flood Management can
play in building resilience and reducing future flooding.

The Board has commented at various stages in the preparation of the Catchment Plan and
these comments have informed a final draft version (attached at Appendix A), along with the
comments of the South Yorkshire Flood Risk Partnership (which has jointly overseen its
preparation with this Board), and those of wider stakeholders. Members views are invited on
this final draft Plan.

Key Issues
The aim is for the ‘Connected by Water’ Catchment Plan to be a ‘living document’ to
facilitate the development of a long-term strategy for flood risk management and climate
resilience.

The Catchment Plan outlines the actions to be undertaken to reduce flood risk, mitigate
climate change and support climate resilient communities across South Yorkshire. It will
support better joint working; provide a compelling programme to attract potential investors;
and demonstrate that measures are being put in place to protect local communities.
Importantly, it provides a clear programme of welldeveloped projects to help secure the
remaining investment required across South Yorkshire to alleviate and mitigate future
flooding.

The Catchment Plan is arranged around the following four Key Workstreams which have
been developed in partnership by the MCA Executive, Environment Agency, the four South
Yorkshire Authorities and Yorkshire Water:
1. Responding to the climate emergency.
2. Ensuring investment is prioritised, smart and based on evidence using the best available
data and intelligence.
3. Strengthening the use of technology and operational management to build the capacity of
Local Authorities and other Risk Management Authorities to work together more effectively
on an operational basis.
4. Community engagement and resilience.

The Catchment Plan encompasses activities already underway as well as new innovative
actions, with lead and supporting organisations identified for each action and an indicative
timescale for completion.

The South Yorkshire Flood Risk Partnership have endorsed the draft Catchment Plan, and
subject to approval by the MCA in January, it is intended to formally launch the Catchment
Plan on the 28 January 2022.

Work is underway to identify and secure resources and funding to deliver the Catchment Plan
over the coming years. There are a number of immediate actions over the next year that will
require additional funding to progress. There is previously committed but unallocated MCA
Gainshare funding to support flood resilience and mitigation, some of which could be
allocated to support delivery of some of these immediate actions. Other partners are similarly

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considering how they may be able to support delivery. It is therefore intended to work up a
proposal for the next Board meeting for use of some of the unallocated Gainshare funding to
support the implementation of the Catchment Plan. The proposals will need to meet the
conditions of funding, namely matching capital activity to capital funding.

3.3 Rotherham Local Plans – (Flood related)


Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) Level 1, Published June 2008
The level 1 Rotherham SFRA was carried out primarily to inform planning policy. It is
a high level policy document which delineates areas into high, medium and low flood
risk.

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Level 2 - Central Rotherham Only


This particular Strategic Flood Risk Assessment is one of three documents produced
by Jacobs consultants in December 2010. It provides a flood risk toolkit for the
Rotherham Regeneration and Flood Alleviation Area.

Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment, (PFRA)


The Flood Risk Regulations 2009 implement the requirements of the European
Floods Directive. The regulations impose new duties on Lead Local Flood Authorities
including responsibility for managing local flood risk in particular from ordinary
watercourses, surface runoff and groundwater.
The PFRA is a high level exercise based on existing and available information.
 Over 8,500 residential properties in Rotherham have been identified as
potentially at risk from surface water flooding, compared with less than 300 at
risk of flooding from rivers.
 106 areas have been identified for prioritisation in subsequent flood risk
management planning, bullet points 3&4 above.
 The unaltered Flood Map for Surface Water produced by the Environment
Agency was used to define Locally Agreed Surface Water Information.
 This document does not consider flooding from main rivers, reservoirs or as a
consequence of sewer blockages.

Rotherham MBC Final PFRA was submitted to Defra in December 2011.

3.4 Rotherham Local Plans – (non flood related)

Rotherham’s Local Plan (2013)


The Local Plan (previously called the Local Development Framework or LDF) will
provide a long-term development strategy for Rotherham, setting out policies and
proposals for new housing, shopping and employment, and how you travel
throughout the borough.

The Local Plan will eventually replace the existing Unitary Development Plan and will
help to streamline the local planning process and promote a proactive and positive
approach to managing development. It will help the Council decide on planning
applications and promote Rotherham's continued regeneration whilst protecting and

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enhancing the natural environment. The current program for producing the Local
Plan is set out in our Local Development Scheme.

Rotherham Emergency Plan, Multi-Agency Flood Plan and Flood Action Plans
The Council’s Emergency Plans are published on the Council’s intranet. The Plans
consist of a corporate Borough Emergency Plan and various Service Emergency
Plans. The Environment and Development Services Emergency Plan has Flood
Action Plans which identify areas at high risk of flooding such as Catcliffe.

The Plans are living documents and are amended and updated regularly.

Community Risk Register


The Community Risk Register is published by South Yorkshire Local Resilience
Forum in compliance with the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and the Civil
Contingencies Act 2004 (Contingency Planning) Regulations 2005. It is updated
annually.

The purpose of the Register is to identify possible hazards which could impact on the
communities of South Yorkshire, to assess the likelihood of each of these hazards
occurring, and to thereby inform contingency planning arrangements within South
Yorkshire.

Yorkshire Water and Severn Trent Water Drainage Area Plans


The Water Companies have a statutory duty to maintain and manage public sewers
and maintain a register of properties at risk from hydraulic overloading in the public
sewerage systems.

The Water Companies have a duty to assist LLFA in sharing of information and data
and have an understanding of flood risk from the public sewerage systems.

City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS)

This new City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), which is an


unprecedented investment in local transport networks, is a major driver for significant
change.

This new fund stems from the announcement we made in 2019 that the 8 eligible
English city regions would receive £4.2 billion of additional funding for local transport
networks. That new money is at the core of this fund and should allow city regions to
commence transformational change.

Highways Asset Management Plan (HAMP)


The HAMP sets out how the highways infrastructure is managed within Rotherham.
Highways assets may be receptors at risk of flooding, or drainage assets such as
culverts and highway drains which must be maintained to manage flood risk.

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4.0 ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL FLOOD RISK
4.1 Past flood events
Rotherham has experienced 4 flooding events of major local significance since 2000,
the nationally significant flood event in June 2007 and November 2019 and by more
localised events in November 2000 and June 2009.

The most recent flood event on the 7th November 2019 was on scale and not
witnessed since 2007 and had not been seen for many decades before that, the
consequences for residents, businesses and communities were very significant with
over 150 households flooding, including numerous business and in the excess of 45
major road closures making manoeuvring around the Borough extremely difficult.
Fortunately, no one within Rotherham lost their life or were seriously injured directly
as a result of the floods. However the financial and emotional costs of both the
immediate impact and long term consequences have been huge.

www.rotherham.gov.uk/downloads/file/1691/section-19-flood-investigation-report-
november-2019

Recent flooding incidents are generally well reported and documented. Records of
older floods do exist in some cases, but are incomplete and difficult to verify. The
easily accessible records have been extracted and mapped. As further historical
information becomes available, the flooding records will be updated.

A desk study of historical flooding confirms that there have been many significant
floods on the Don and Rother for hundreds of years, including before the catchment
was significantly developed. The development of the catchment and changes to the
watercourses and sewers mean that the older historical information is not useful for
assessment of current flood risk.

4.2 Environment Agency Surface Water Flood Risk Modelling


Surface water flood modelling has been carried out by the Environment Agency to
indicate the broad areas likely to be at risk of surface water flooding. However, the
Environment Agency surface water flood maps are not suitable for identifying
whether an individual property will flood. This is because information on floor
levels, construction characteristics or designs of properties is not considered.

The modelling was carried out by applying rainfall to a digital terrain model and this
was done using 3 different methodologies, namely Flood Map for Surface Water
(FMfSW), Areas Susceptible to Surface Water Flooding (AStSWF) and Risk of
Flooding from Surface Water (RFfSW). FMfSW and AStSWF were carried out before
the draft LFRMS was produced and were used to identify areas at risk and in
particular the 106 areas in Rotherham prioritised for further investigation. During the
consultation period, the RFfSW information became available. This is considered
superior to both previous methodologies and supersedes both. The 106 areas have

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therefore been reprioritised using the updated modelling and environmental
information.

Drawing 187/46/DR002A in Appendix B shows the 106 areas and the revised
rankings.
Maps showing flood risk, including surface water risk, are available on the
Environment Agency website.

River Flooding Surface Water (RFfSW)


Dwellings at risk 273 2321

Table 2 - Comparison between river flooding and surface water flooding


The above figures show that the threat to residential properties numerically is
overwhelmingly from surface water flooding. Non residential flooding affecting
industry and infrastructure is more at risk from river flooding due to its geographical
concentration along river corridors. See drawing 187/46/DR001A in Appendix B for a
comparison of the areas at risk from the two types of flooding.

5.0 GOVERNANCE AND PARTNERSHIP ARRANGEMENTS


An organogram of governance and partnership arrangements is provided in Figure 3
below.

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6.0 OBJECTIVES OF THE STRATEGY
Objective 1

Continue to Build on the asset database, ensuring all drainage


assets are mapped on a GIS platform.

Objective 2

Complete all 6 priority schemes to shovel ready status to reduce


flood risk in key areas across Rotherham Borough.

Objective 3

Formalise arrangements and partnerships with Parish Council, Flood


Action Groups and communities that have been affected by flooding.

Objective 4

Create a risk-based approach to gully cleansing and set up new


cyclical programs for linear drainage and watercourses.

Objective 5

Create a new SuDS adoption policy, commuted sums policy and


operational manual to help reduce flooding and increase
maintenance of existing assets.

Objective 6

Continue to work on catchment approach to flooding, engaging in


the South Yorkshire Catchment Plan looking at source to sea
defences.

Objective 7
All planning applications are to be consulted on within 21 days to
ensure no additional flood risk is created through new
developments within the Borough.

Objective 8
Encourage, develop and implement long-term, cost-effective and
environmentally sound mitigation assets related to flood defences.

7.0 ACTION PLAN


The SWMP provides a methodology to identify the most appropriate measures to
use in locations identified as being at risk of flooding. Measures can be “structural”

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such as planning controls and improved community engagement, or “non-structural”
such as physical improvement or maintenance works. It is impractical and
unaffordable to carry out every measure for every situation. The Strategy will help to
determine which measures are most appropriate for individual areas, which
measures offer best value for money and how a blend of structural and non-
structural measures can be used to give a balanced approach to mitigating risk.

A detailed action plan which addresses the objectives of the Strategy as detailed in
item 7 above is contained in Appendix A.

8.0 FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT FUNDING


Source of Description Indicative Administered Appropriate
Funding budget By For

Flood Defence Central government funding for flood (and £5.2billion Environment Medium to
Grant-in-Aid coastal) defence projects – recently revised to Agency large capital
(FDGiA) encourage a partnership approach to FRM projects
maximise match-funding, work towards
achieving specified outcomes with a
requirement to evidence a reduction in flood
risk to properties
Local Levy Annual contributions from Councils to a £2.5million per Environment Smaller FRM
regional “pot”, smaller than the FDGiA budget year(Yorkshire Agency projects or as
but offers more flexibility on the type and size ) a contribution
of project it can fund. to FDGiA
projects
Asset £240million Environment Replacement
Replacement Agency of existing
Fund The ARA is intended essentially to support asset
Capital Maintenance (CM) type schemes, in defences.
particular those where eventual asset failure
would increase risk to communities and
impose an emergency demand on FDGiA
funding. It is not available for improvement,
withdrawal of maintenance or asset transfer
schemes.

Other £400million
Government EA/RMA’s
Depart Funding OGD remains an element of the FDGiA Funding to aid
(OGD) funding but can be treated as partnership Flood risk
funding. The funding is being allocated to management
support the delivery of FCRM outcome schemes.
measures across the six-year capital
programme (2021/22 to 2026/27), by
contributing financially to schemes which
benefit OGD assets and have a Partnership
Funding gap. It improves stability and
deliverability in the programme
Department for £7.15million RMBC
Education
Funding (DfE) Since 2019 we have successfully secured DfE funding is
£7.15m in partnership funding from in addition to
Department for Education (DfE). This the OGD
investment has contributed to FCRM schemes funding
that, better protect schools, properties and mentioned
communities, and help to create a nation above, and is

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resilient to flooding and coastal change. 33 aimed at
flood schemes have received funding, and providing
better protected 39,720 homes, prevented funding to
44,000 lost teaching days and, most bridge PF gaps
importantly, protected the education of huge for schemes
numbers of school children across England. that protect
schools.

Council Capital The Councils infrastructure programme RMBC Measures


Funding prioritising capital improvement projects. In which are
recent years the programme has included £5.8million small to
funding for several flood alleviation schemes medium capital
but future funding is uncertain. projects
Council The Council currently funds maintenance of Highway RMBC Measures
Revenue existing assets via the revenue budgets of the Drainage & requiring
Funding departments where liability falls, including Land Drainage officer time
Streetpride, Neighbourhoods, Resources. Maintenance and/or
(£143k) maintenance
Defra funding of £156.3k per annum has been Gully cleansing activity
provided to finance the execution of the (£159k)
Council’s new duties. Funding at this level is Waste
expected to continue until 2015. Funding for Disposal
financial year 2015/16 and beyond will be (£48k)
subject to government spending review. Flood
Management
Team (£156k)

Table 3 - Potential Sources Of Funding

9.0 THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE


9.1 Effects of Climate Change
There is significant scientific evidence that suggests that global climate change is happening
and this cannot be ignored (UK Climate Projections 2009).
Over the past century around the UK we have seen sea levels rise and more of our winter rain
falling in intense wet spells. Seasonal rainfall is highly variable. Recent evidence suggests
that it has decreased in summer and increased in winter. Some of the changes reflect natural
variation; however the broad trends are in line with projections from climate models.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) levels in the atmosphere are likely to cause higher winter rainfall in
future. Past GHG emissions mean that some climate change is inevitable in the next 20-30
years. Lower emissions could reduce the amount of climate change further into the future, but
changes are still projected at least as far ahead as the 2080’s.

We have enough confidence in large scale climate models to say that we must plan for
change. There is more uncertainty at a local scale but model results may help us plan to
adapt. For example, we understand that rain storms may become more intense, even if we
can’t be sure about exactly where or when. By the 2080’s, the latest UK climate projections
(UK Climate Projections 2009) are that there could be around three more days in winter with
heavy rainfall (defined as more than 25mm in a day). It is plausible that the amount of rain in
extreme storms (with a 1 in 5 annual chance, or rarer) could increase by 40%.

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Key Projections for Humber Basin District

If emissions follow a medium future scenario, UKCP09 projected changes by the 2050’s
relative to the recent past are:

 Winter precipitation increases of around 12% (very likely to be between 2 and 26%)
 Precipitation on the wettest day in winter up by around 12% (very likely to be more than
24%)
 Relative sea level at Grimsby very likely to be up between 10 and 41cm from 1990 levels
(notincluding extra potential rises from polar ice sheet loss)
 Peak river flows in a typical catchment likely to increase between 8 and 14%

9.2 Implications for Flood Risk


Climate changes can affect local flood risk in several ways. Impacts will depend on
local conditions and vulnerability. Wetter winters and more of this rain falling in wet
spells may increase river flooding. More intense rainfall causes more surface runoff,
increasing localised flooding and erosion. In turn, this may increase pressure on
drains, sewers and water quality. Storm intensity in summer could increase even in
drier summers, so we need to be prepared for the unexpected.

Drainage systems in the district have been modified to manage water levels and
could help in adapting locally to some impacts of future climate on flooding, but may
also need to be managed differently. Rising river levels may also increase local flood
risk away from major rivers because of interactions with drains, sewers and smaller
watercourses. Where appropriate, we need local studies to understand climate
impacts in detail, including effects from other factors like land use. Sustainable
development and drainage will help us adapt to climate change and manage the risk
of damaging floods in future.

9.3 Adapting to Change


Past emission means some climate change is inevitable. It is essential we respond
by planning ahead. We can prepare by understanding our current and future
vulnerability to flooding, developing plans for increased resilience and building the
capacity to adapt. Regular review and adherence to these plans is key to achieving
long-term, sustainable benefits. Although the broad climate change picture is clear,
we have to make local decisions based on a degree of uncertainty. We will therefore
consider a range of measures and retain flexibility to adapt. This approach,
embodied within flood risk appraisal guidance, will help to ensure that we do not
increase our vulnerability to flooding.

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9.4 Long Term Developments
It is possible that long term developments might affect the occurrence and
significance of flooding. However current planning policy aims to prevent new
development from increasing flood risk.

In England, National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) aims to "ensure that flood
risk is taken into account at all stages in the planning process to avoid inappropriate
development in areas at risk of flooding, and to direct development away from areas
at highest risk. Where new development is, exceptionally, necessary in such areas,
policy aims to make it safe without increasing flood risk elsewhere and where
possible, reducing flood risk overall."

Adherence to Government policy ensures that new development does not increase
local flood risk. However, in exceptional circumstances the Local Planning Authority
may accept that flood risk can be increased contrary to Government policy, usually
because of the wider benefits of a new or proposed major development. Any
exceptions would not be expected to increase risk to levels which are "significant" (in
terms of the Government's criteria).

10.0 ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIC


ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
The Strategy considers that the LFRMS is a significant local strategy and,
consequently has been appraised under the Strategic Environmental Assessment
(SEA) Regulations. Reprioritisation of flood risk areas has been carried out taking
into account environmental factors assessed in the SEA report. More detailed
assessment of flood risk management actions, including revenue works and capital
schemes will be undertaken using the SEA findings.

Where possible, opportunities should be sought to enhance the river corridor


habitats, landscape, access and amenity facilities to support the local planning policy
drive to develop green infrastructure and increase access to the riversides.
The effect of the strategy on the Council’s carbon emissions, and hence climate
change, are part of the Strategic Environmental Assessment.

The Councils Climate Change Adaptation Plan identifies specific measures which
are targeted at managing the consequences of more frequent severe rainfall events.
These measures have been addressed by complementary measures in this
Strategy.

Funding applications for flood defence works are assessed against criteria which
also assess benefits unrelated to flood risk and projects which deliver environmental
improvements score more highly and are therefore more likely to obtain funding.

The full Communication strategy can be found in the link below

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https://www.rotherham.gov.uk/transport-streets/rotherham-highways-communications-
strategy/5

11.0 CIVIL CONTINGENCIES AND COMMUNITY


RESILIENCE
The Emergency Planning Shared Service, Rotherham & Sheffield have responsibility
for the planning for and management of the Council’s response to emergencies,
through the Borough Emergency Plan and any other relevant Plans.

The increasing knowledge of flood risk will be used to feed into the Rotherham Multi-
Agency Flood Response Plan, particularly in the following areas:

o Production of flood hazard maps combining depth and velocity information.

o Improved assessment of flood risk to critical infrastructure utilities, i.e. gas,


electricity, water and telecommunications installations and the consequences of
the loss of these installations during flooding.

o Principal highways. Major flooding incidents

o Business continuity.

o Reservoir inundation plans, including reservoirs outside of Rotherham.

o Determine in greater detail the risk of flooding to residential and non residential
buildings.

12.0 THE ROLE OF THE PLANNING AUTHORITY


To meet the requirements of the Strategy the role of the Planning Authority is as
follows (refer also to item 6.9 above):

o Responsibility to consider flood risk in Local Plans.

o Responsibility to consider flood risk when assessing applications for


development.

o Consider SuDS through Planning.

13.0 ADDRESSING THE SKILLS GAP

All aspects of flood risk management is becoming more difficult to recruit into over
the past several years there has been a shortage of engineers with drainage and

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flood risk as a discipline, specifically within the public sector. To address the issue
local authorities have had train junior members and adapt to the way of working with
new graduates with limited experience.

14.0 DATA MANAGEMENT


Satisfying the objectives of the Strategy will entail the collection, creation and
recording of large amounts of data.

A policy to control the storage and use of this data has been produced and is
included in Appendix C. The policy, which is specific to flood risk management
functions is compatible with the Council’s data management policies, licensing
agreements and legislation such as the Data Protection Act and The Freedom of
information Act.

It is recognised that in order to achieve the maximum benefit from the available data,
it should be freely available. The policy considers the most appropriate format for the
data to be made available, taking into account the restrictions above. Modelled
predictions of flood extents and similar data should not be presented in a format
which implies a greater accuracy than can be achieved in practice.

15.0 THE ROLE OF SCRUTINY AND OVERVIEW


COMMITTEES
The Flood and Water Management Act requires LLFAs to ensure that adequate
scrutiny arrangements are put in place, including arrangements to review and
scrutinise the exercise by risk management authorities of flood risk management
functions or coastal erosion risk management functions which may affect the local
authority’s area.

Risk management authorities must comply with a request made by an overview and
scrutiny committee for information and/or a response to a report, and must have
regard to reports and recommendations of an overview and scrutiny committee. In
effect, the Act extends Local Authority scrutiny to cover the full range of flood risk
management activities carried out within the local authority area.

The Local Government Association Framework to assist the development of the


Local Strategy for Flood Risk Management identifies the following areas to be
considered for the strategy.

o What existing expertise exists among elected members in the locality?

o Have there been previous scrutiny exercises on a task and finish select
committee approach that could provide a local model?

o Can an existing committee undertake the role, or is an entirely new grouping


required? Does the area wish to focus on specific priorities, or to take a broad
overview of the whole range of water management activities?

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o How can the scrutiny process be developed as a two-way dialogue between
committee members and risk management authorities, such that the expertise
and knowledge of Members is enhanced and deepened?

o Member support can be developed through proactive briefing and workshops,


especially in developing an understanding of the roles of different risk
management authorities; and

o The rationale for, and scope of the Local Flood Risk Management Strategy
needs to be explained clearly, particularly its local relevance in relation to other
existing priorities.

16.0 REVIEWING AND REVISING THE STRATEGY


The Flood Risk Regulations 2009 stipulate a six year cycle of flood risk planning
based on a four stage process of:

o Undertaking a Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (PFRA) (2011).

o Identifying flood risk areas (2011).

o Preparing flood hazard and risk maps (2013).

o Preparing flood risk management plans (2013).

The strategy has currently fell behind on its reviews due to staffing issues and recent
flood events taking precedent. The full list of documents are due to be reviewed over
the next 12 months and will be issued as an appendix to this document.

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GLOSSARY AND ACRONYMS
Assets Structures, or a system of structures, used to
manage flood risk.
Areas Susceptible to A method of surface water flood modelling
Surface Water Flooding carried out by the Environment Agency to
(AStSWF) indicate the broad areas likely to be at risk of
surface water flooding. Now superseded by Risk
of Flooding from Surface Water Map. See also
FMfSW & RFfSW.
Catchment An area that serves a watercourse with
rainwater. Every part of land where the rainfall
drains to a single watercourse is in the same
catchment.
Catchment Flood A strategic planning tool through which the
Management Plan (CFMP) Environment Agency works with other key
decision-makers on the large scale of a River
Basin District to identify and agree overarching
policies for sustainable flood risk management.
Critical Infrastructure Infrastructure which is considered vital or
indispensable to society, the economy, public
health or the environment, and where the failure
or destruction would have large impact. This
would include emergency services such as
hospitals, schools, communications, electricity
sub-stations, water and waste water treatment
works, transport infrastructure and reservoirs.
Defence A structure that is used to reduce the probability
of floodwater affecting a particular area, for
example a raised embankment.
Defra Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs. The government department with overall
responsibility for flood risk management.
FRM Flood Risk Management.
FCERM Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management.
Flood The temporary covering by water of land not
normally covered with water.
Flood Map for Surface Water A method of surface water flood modelling
(FMfSW) carried out by the Environment Agency to
indicate the broad areas likely to be at risk of
surface water flooding, now superseded by Risk
of Flooding From Surface Water Map. See also
AStSWF & RFfSW.
Flood Risk Area An area determined as having a significant risk
of flooding in accordance with guidance
published by Defra.
Flood and Water The Flood and Water Management Act clarifies
Management Act 2010 (FWM the legislative framework for managing surface
Act) water flood risk in England.

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Fluvial flooding Flooding of main rivers.

Floods Directive The EU Floods Directive came into force in


November 2007 and is designed to help
Member States prevent and limit the impact of
floods on people, property and the environment.
It was transposed into English law in December
2009 by the Flood Risk Regulations.
Groundwater Water which is below the surface of the ground
and in direct contact with the ground or subsoil.
Hazard A potential source of harm.
Hydrology The study of the effects of water on and below
the earth’s surface.
Internal Drainage Board Drainage Board who are legally responsible to
(Danvm IDB in Rotherham) ensure that flows are maintained in ordinary
watercourses within their domain.
Local Development Local Planning Authority documents which
Framework (LDF) comprises of community involvement, local
development scheme and the annual monitoring
report.
Lead Local Flood Authority Local Authority with Flood Risk Management
(LLFA) Functions as defined in the Flood and Water
Management Act.
Local flood risk Flood risk from sources other than main rivers,
the sea and reservoirs, principally meaning
surface runoff, groundwater and ordinary
watercourses.
Main River A watercourse shown as such on the Main River
Map and for which the Environment Agency has
flood risk management responsibilities and
powers.
Ordinary watercourses A river, stream, ditch, cut, sluice, dike or non-
public sewer that is not a designated Main River
and for which the Lead Local Flood Authority
has flood risk management responsibilities and
powers.
Pluvial flooding Pluvial flooding (or surface runoff flooding) is
caused by rainfall and is that flooding which
occurs due to water ponding on, or flowing over,
the surface before it reaches a drain or
watercourse.
Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment of surface water flood risk in the
Assessment (PFRA) area covered by a Lead Local Flood Authority
(Rotherham PFRA submitted describing both the probability and harmful
to Defra December 2011) consequences of past and predicted future
flooding.
Flood Risk Regulations UK legislation implementing the European
Floods Directive 2009.

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Resilience The ability of the community, services, area or
infrastructure to withstand the consequences of
an incident.
Riparian owner A riparian owner is someone who owns land or
property adjacent to a watercourse. A riparian
owner has a duty to maintain the watercourse
and allow flow to pass through their land freely.
Risk Measures the significance of a potential event in
terms of likelihood and impact. Risk is the
likelihood that a person may be harmed or
suffers adverse health effects if exposed to a
hazard.
Risk assessment A structured and auditable process of identifying
potentially significant events, assessing their
likelihood and impacts, and then combining
these to provide an overall assessment of risk,
as a basis for further decisions and action.
Risk of Flooding From A map showing results of surface water flood
Surface Water Map (RFfSW) modelling carried out by the Environment
Agency to indicate the broad areas likely to be at
risk of surface water flooding. See also FMfSW
& AStSWF.
River basin district There are 11 river basin districts in England and
Wales, each comprising a number of contiguous
river basins or catchments.
Strategic Flood Risk Documents prepared by local planning
Assessment (SFRA) authorities assessing broad areas of flood risk to
inform planning decisions.
Surface runoff Rainwater (including snow and other
precipitation) which is on the surface of the
ground (whether or not it is moving), and has not
entered a watercourse, drainage system or
public sewer.
Surface Water Flooding In this context, surface water flooding describes
flooding from sewers, drains, groundwater, and
runoff from land, small water courses and
ditches that occurs as a result of heavy rainfall.
Surface Water Management A plan which outlines the preferred surface
Plan (SWMP) water management strategy in a given location.
Sustainable Drainage A sequence of management practices and
Systems (SuDS) control measures designed to mimic natural
drainage processes by allowing rainfall to
infiltrate and by attenuating and conveying
surface water runoff slowly compared to
conventional drainage.

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Water Framework Directive A European Community Directive (2000/60/EC)
(WFD) of the European Parliament and Council
designed to integrate the way water bodies are
managed across Europe. It requires all inland
and coastal waters to reach “good status” by
2015 through a catchment-based system of
River Basin Management Plans.

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