Bassetlaw District Flood Risk Information Page

The Environment Agency (EA) has a strategic overview role for all sources of flooding and has operational responsibility for managing the risk of flooding from Main Rivers and reservoirs. This includes managing the performance of the flood risk assets under our ownership.

Although our statutory responsibility is to manage main rivers, we work with local authorities and other partners to support them in managing all sources of flood risk.

As part of our strategic overview role, we have published a National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England. The strategy provides more information designed to ensure that the roles of all those involved in managing risk are clearly defined and understood.

We are a Category 1 responder, defined under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. Through Local Resilience Forums, we work with partners to prepare for and respond to localised incidents and emergencies from all sources of flooding.

Flood warnings:

The Environment Agency is responsible for issuing Flood Alerts and Flood Warnings. Flood warnings can give people valuable time to prepare for flooding – time that allows them to move themselves, their families, and precious items to safety. Flood warnings can also save lives and enable the emergency services to prepare and help communities.

The Flood Warning Service provides warnings of flooding from main rivers, by direct telephone, email, or text message. Anyone can sign up, for free, by phoning Floodline on 0345 988 1188, or visit  https://www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings. 

For practical advice on preparing for a flood, visit https://www.gov.uk/prepare-for-flooding.

To get help during a flood, visit https://www.gov.uk/help-during-flood.

For advice on what do after a flood, visit https://www.gov.uk/after-flood.

To check for flooding, visit Check for flooding in England - GOV.UK (check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk)

Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) are Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) and are responsible for managing and coordinating local flood risk management. Local Flood Risk means the flooding caused by surface water, groundwater and ordinary watercourses. Ordinary watercourses are watercourses which do not form part of a main river, as defined on Environment Agency Main River Mapping (Statutory Main River Map (arcgis.com)).

Under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 and Land Drainage Act 1991, the LLFA:

• is required to prepare and maintain a strategy for local flood risk management in their area.

• is required to investigate significant local flooding incidents and publish the results of such investigations- Section 19 Reports.
• have powers under the Land Drainage Act 1991 to regulate ordinary watercourses (outside of internal drainage board areas) to maintain a proper flow by:
  • managing Land Drainage Consents for constructing, altering, removing or replacing any structures and/or features on ordinary watercourses; and
  •  has permissive powers to enforce riparian responsibilities to maintain flow in a watercourse
• Is required to maintain a register of assets which have a significant effect on flooding in their area.
• undertake a statutory consultee role providing technical advice on surface water drainage to local planning authorities for major developments (10 dwellings or more) 

For full details please see The Council's role | Nottinghamshire County Council

Flood support schemes:

NCC work alongside Bassetlaw District Council to administer and provide several flood support schemes. Further information can be found via the following link Flood support schemes | Nottinghamshire County Council.  

If your home or business has been flooded as a result of Storm Babet or Storm Henk, you may also be eligible for Property Flood Resilience (PFR) grant funding. This increases a properties resilience in order to minimise flood damage and allow homeowners or business owners to return to their properties at a quicker rate. Please see the following links for further information on eligibility:

Flood support schemes | Nottinghamshire County Council

Government announces support for flood-hit areas - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Sandbags:

Residents are encouraged to make sure their property is protected as far as possible, and utilise Community Resilience Stores, or purchase in advance from local DIY stores or builders’ merchants.

NCC have limited supplies of sandbags which may be administered to vulnerable residents during times of flood, however due to flooding and road conditions it may be difficult for delivery of sandbags to reach residents in time. Please note that sandbags are not guaranteed, and the County Council have no legal obligation to provide sandbags.

For further information please visit Preparing for a flood | Nottinghamshire County Council or phone 0300 500 80 80 80 (Monday to Friday 8am – 8pm, Saturday 8am -12noon) or 01253 502 776 (outside above hours). The following link provides further guidance:

Sandbags: how to use them to prepare for a flood - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Bassetlaw District Council plays a coordinating role with partners including Nottinghamshire County Council (the Lead Local Flood Authority), local Internal Drainage Boards, the Environment Agency, Severn Trent Water and the Canal and Rivers Trust to help manage flood risk in Bassetlaw. As the Local Planning Authority we consider flood risk management as part of every planning application.

Bassetlaw District Council works with the County Council, Environment Agency and other partners in the Local Resilience Forum on the emergency response during a flood event. The Council prioritises support to vulnerable residents and may be able to arrange support with temporary accommodation for anyone who has to leave their home due to flooding.

Following a flood event the Council plays a key role in the clean-up operation, removing detritus and targeted street sweeping of affected areas. We may also provide skips in areas affected by severe flooding. The Council may also administer household and business recovery grants on behalf of the Government, should Ministers determine a flood event triggers the Flood Recovery Framework.

Community Resilience Stores:

There are several community resilience stores across Bassetlaw, of which the contents can be used to help protect your property during a flood event. In order to access the Flood Containers in an emergency call Bassetlaw District Council on 01909 533 533 (Office Hours) or 07823 789 403 (Out of Hours). To view a comprehensive list of community resilience stores across Bassetlaw, please visit the following webpage:

Sandbags and community resilience stores (bassetlaw.gov.uk)

An Internal Drainage Board (IDB) is a local public authority that manages water levels. IDBs are integral to managing flood risk and land drainage within areas of special drainage need in England and Wales.

Each IDB has permissive powers to undertake work to provide water level management within their Internal Drainage District (IDD), undertaking works to reduce flood risk to people and property and managing water levels for local needs.

Under the Land Drainage Act (1991) each IDB exercises a general power of supervision over all matters relating to water level management within its district.  In pursuance of this role they can prohibit the obstruction of watercourses within their district.  Thus, anyone constructing or altering a weir, bridge, embankment, culvert or similar obstruction, must first seek the consent of the IDB before undertaking works.  IDBs also have a series of bylaws relating to the management of watercourses and can designate features and structures within their district which relate to managing flood risk.  A designation prevents an owner from altering, removing or replacing the structure or feature without the consent of the IDB.

IDBs input into the planning system by facilitating the drainage of new and existing developments within their districts, and advising on planning applications, specifically the use of sustainable drainage systems.

IDBs conduct their work in accordance with a number of general environmental duties, and promote the ecological wellbeing of their districts.  They have a specific duty to further the conservation and enhancement of all designated environmental sites within their districts, such as Sites of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSIs).

Severn Trent is responsible for managing flood risk from public sewers.  For more information on sewer flooding, and how Severn Trent can support you if you experience sewer flooding at your property, please visit Guide to sewer flooding | Customer Information Hub | Help and Contact | Severn Trent Water (stwater.co.uk)

The Canal & River Trust (the Trust) is a navigation authority who inspects, maintains, and operates canal structures in order to maintain navigation. More information on how the Trust manage flooding can be found here - Flood | Canal & River Trust (canalrivertrust.org.uk). The Trust are not a Risk Management Authority (RMA) under the 2010 Act  and so do not have any statutory duties in relation to flood risk management.  They are also not a Category 2 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.