After the devastating floods which hit England in the summer of 2007, the government promised to bring in a new Bill to legislate the role of both water companies and local authorities during periods of severe flooding.
However, according to an article in the Daily Telegraph newspaper, only a draft bill has so far been finished, and the flood protection that people assumed would come into play after the devastation of two summers ago has not yet materialised.
Quoted in the Daily Telegraph,the Shadow Environment Secretary Nick Herbert, criticized the delay by saying,
“Gordon Brown announced that there would be a draft Flood Bill nearly a year ago, but the whole pace of the Government’s response has been far too slow. Millions of homeowners continue to live with the risk of flooding and hundreds of families are still not back in their homes, yet confused accountabilities for managing the risk remain and we still don’t have proper legislation.
“It is now nearly two years since summer floods caused chaos and misery for thousands of households. If this happens again and measures prove inadequate the public will not forgive the Government for dragging its heels”
For people living in areas prone to flooding (check our info on UK Flood Maps) this news will not be pleasant.
Heavy rainfall can result in massive jumps in surface runoff in just a few hours of prolonged rain.
Our advice is for people to not leave thinking about and planning for a flood until the event has happened - by then it is too late - but be proactive, secure your property and be prepared without relying on the government to be any more so.