Published Wednesday 17 November 2021 at 15:43
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Lancashire County Council and Blackpool Council have compiled a joint Lancashire Local Flood Risk Management Strategy (LFRMS) 2021 – 2027, which has been subject to consultation with flood risk management authorities, wider partners and with members of the public.
A joint Local Flood Risk Management Strategy for Lancashire enables the partnership to provide an environment in which delivery of the strategy can be regularly monitored and recorded. It will create an opportunity to consider alignment of approach with other Lead Local Flood Authorities within the county of Lancashire doing things once rather than three times, bringing potential for resource efficiency. Where issues/barriers occur working in partnership with other organisations may help to unlock these.
Blackburn with Darwen’s Cllr. Jim Shorrock said:
“I very much look forward to working with my fellow councillors across the North-West in ensuring a proper strategy and resources are in place to give our area the very best protection against the worst effects of flooding and climate change. This is the number one priority for me, and COP26 highlighted the importance of changing from carbon fuels to sustainable energy with some urgency, to give us all the best chance of protecting all that is precious to us in the north-west”.
As well as effective partnership working, this approach should encourage a catchment-based approach to managing local flood risks consistency across our County as advised by the principles laid out in the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) Strategy. The timescale on the Strategy (2021 to 2027) reflects the six-year flood risk cycle as well as the timescale of the new national FCERM Investment Programme.
County Councillor Shaun Turner, cabinet member for environment and climate change, said:
“Sadly many people in Lancashire know only too well how awful it is for their home, or the business which they rely on for their livelihood, to be inundated by flood waters. One of the major lessons learned from the serious flooding which has affected the UK over recent years is how important it is for all the organisations which have a responsibility for managing water to make prevention of flooding a priority, and work together to coordinate their activities. This strategy provides an excellent framework for the actions we plan to take over the coming years, and importantly also contains a business plan setting out the practical steps we intend to take, with a timeframe by which to monitor progress.”