Flooding advice and information

As we approach the season where the risk of flooding may increase, we thought it would be helpful to share information about some of the actions which can be taken to prepare for flooding.

We have also put together a webpage on our website to provide residents with some useful information, advice and links. www.charnwood.gov.uk/flooding

Who is responsible for what?

Charnwood Borough Council is only responsible for clearing gullies and keeping watercourses flowing on land it owns. We have a maintenance schedule to ensure that happens.

Leicestershire County Council is responsible for maintaining road gullies and brooks on its own land. Landowners also have a duty to ensure watercourses on their land are flowing freely.

The Environment Agency is responsible for the maintenance of main rivers which are usually large rivers and streams such as Sileby Brook and Wood Brook in Loughborough.

Flood alerts

If you live in a part of the borough which is prone to flooding, signing up to the Environment Agency flood alerts is free and easy. The alerts will notify you about possible flooding and you can sign up via the EA's website.

Sandbags and other flood defence products

The borough council only stocks an extremely limited number of sandbags and does not have a statutory duty to provide them.

The small number of sandbags the Council have will be issued to:

protect life, critical infrastructure and buildings, eg hospitals and substations

protect elderly, disabled and vulnerable residents

support the emergency services

It's also worth noting that sandbags only provide limited protection against flooding and are most effective before flooding takes place.

Therefore, if residents know their property is prone to flooding, they may want to consider investing in other flood defence products. Blue Pages is the UK's leading independent flood directory which is run by the National Flood Forum charity.

Flood locker funding

We recently announced a £150,000 flood resilience scheme which is available to Town and Parish Councils across the borough and community groups in Loughborough. It can be used to purchase flood lockers containing equipment such as aqua snakes, signage, and other tools to help protect properties from flooding. Town and Parish Councils can apply for up to £10,000 to purchase a flood locker and equipment. Loughborough has been allocated £30,000 due to its high flood risk, and local community groups in the town are also eligible to apply.

Applications are live and more information on the scheme and how to apply can be found on our website

Reporting a flood

The cause of the flood may determine which organisation you need to report it to. Leicestershire County Council is the lead local flood authority and more information about which organisations you may need to contact is available on their website

Sharing information with residents

As trusted voices in the local community, it is really important to only share information and updates from credible sources on social media to avoid spreading misinformation.

Useful social media accounts

Below are some useful social media accounts to follow in relation to flooding:

Organisation

(X) Twitter

Facebook

Charnwood Borough Council

@CharnwoodBC

Leicestershire County Council

@LeicsCountyHall

Environment Agency

@EnvAgency

@EnvAgencyMids