Following the significant floods in 2007, the Government gave local authorities new powers to help manage local flood risk in a more coordinated way. The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 requires county councils to lead the coordination of flood risk management for surface water, groundwater and smaller watercourses in their area. Main river flooding remains the responsibility of the Environment Agency.

Surrey County Council must now produce a Local Flood Risk Management Strategy, which will give a clear vision for how flood risk will be dealt with in Surrey. The strategy will reflect that it is not possible to stop all flooding.

The strategy will include the following:

• Information on local flood risk in Surrey, highlighting where problems have already occurred, or where areas fall in risk categories
• Clarification of which authority is responsible for what in relation to the prevention and management of flooding
• Detail on the measures that will be undertaken to manage flood risk
• Clarification on how work is prioritised.

The consultation to inform the draft strategy closed on 31 March 2012. There will be an opportunity to comment on the final document during a formal consultation period later in the year.