Lancashire County Council has published an overview report on the December 2015 floods, as a first step in making public the findings of investigations into how the county's communities were flooded and how future flooding risks can be managed.



This first report, however, is much more limited in scope. Known as a "Section 19 investigation", the report looks at the weather conditions leading to flooding in December 2015 and is particularly focused on the statutory responsibilities and duties of flood risk management authorities during those storms.

The report identifies those bodies identified as risk management authorities by the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, namely:

• The lead local flood authority (in this case Lancashire County Council)
• The Environment Agency
• A district council for an area for which there is no unitary authority
• An internal drainage board
• A water company
• A highway authority

The report found that all of these authorities had discharged their duties before, during, and after the flooding events caused by Storms Desmond and Eva, and that work continues in the medium-to-long term.

All of the risk management authorities have been involved in gathering information about the individual causes of flooding in all 229 affected communities and potential measures to manage or mitigate the risk of future flooding. That information continues to be gathered and will be published as a series of district level updates, every three months, with detailed information on the investigations undertaken at each of the affected locations, and flood risk improvements already completed and the opportunities for further investigations and/or works.

County Councillor Marcus Johnstone, cabinet member for environment, planning and cultural services, said: "The December floods were unprecedented in their severity and extent, affecting more than 200 communities across the county and causing untold distress to homeowners, disruption to businesses and damage to critical infrastructure.

"Those agencies with responsibility for managing the risk of flooding have been working very hard together, as the Lancashire Flood Risk Partnership, to understand how each individual flooding incident happened and to take action to manage or reduce the risk of it happening again. This report starts the process of sharing the results of that work, ensuring that people are fully informed about plans for their communities."