1. National Flood Forum Conference
In England, 5.2 million properties are at risk of flooding. Of these, 1.4 million are at risk from rivers or the sea alone, 2.8 million are at risk from surface water alone and 1 million are at risk from both. There are also an estimated 200 homes at risk of complete loss to coastal erosion in the next 20 years. It is possible 2,000 more could become at risk over this period.
About 1.3 million ha (12%) of agricultural land in England is at risk of flooding in the event of a very extreme flood from rivers or the sea, including some of the most productive land.
Presented by: Robbie Craig
Date: 13 March 2014

2. 2007-11 PLP Grants– Key Facts 2007 – Pilot projects
Appleby, Bleasdale, Kirkby in Furness Leeds, Morecambe and Uckfield.
199 out of 240 properties took part
average cost about £2,900 per property
demonstration Grant scheme –
1,109 properties protected in 63 communities
Over 90% of residents took up the flood products offered
Average cost per property - £4,922 ( min £618 Max £6,736)
Average scheme size (min 1, Max 89)
Summary report available from -
Defra grant scheme: 63 schemes 2008/ properties
EA grant scheme: 72 schemes 2011/ properties
Partnership funding 8 schemes 2012/13
EA/Defra Survey of usage of installed measures in summer storms underway - very effective use in Binbrook in Cambs but reports of problems also – seepage from doors, unclear instructions and incorrect deployment.
In 2007, Defra launched a pilot grant scheme that provided funding for property-level flood protection surveys and measures in six locations in England. The pilot projects were in Appleby, Bleasdale (nr Nottingham), Kirkby in Furness (nr Barrow), Leeds, Morecambe and Uckfield. 199 out of 240 properties took part , of which 89% were residential and the remainder commercial. Of the residential properties, 173 opted for resistance solutions and 3 a mix of resistance and resilience. £5,000 was provided by Defra for each property that participated in the scheme (including £1,000 for surveys and administration costs). Analysis of the scheme funding showed that the average cost of works was about £2,900 per property. The pilots generally noted an increase of awareness of resistance and resilience following the project, but this did not always result in action. Other barriers, such as the belief that the government should pay seemed to overcome common sense

3. Community learning from PLPG
Work with the grain of the local community!
Example - Defra Grant scheme evaluation – Brampton
Only 27% of residents affected by the 2007 floods expressed an interest – and 14% were provided with products. Fears included citing fears of property blight or products advertising an empty property to burglars.
A flood group helped ensure effective coordination between residents and the local authority.
Residents aware about measures - some had already them
Key concerns were ease of use and the speed of deployment of the products with a need for clearer instructions and emergency plans.
Not all residents able to deploy the products provided and will need support from neighbours and the community.
Wider benefits - communities came together and looking out for each other.
Commissioned an insurance survey which revealed a few some companies offered improved terms.

4. Local Resileince PLP used in the right location is valuable tool
PLP Schemes can be developed by LLFA and funded through Partnership Funding but must have local support
People are important and a key side effect is that it provides a way for local communities to be more engaged in managing their flood risk
Defra and EA have invested nearly £13m to protect 4000 properties using these measures in a demonstration project. A report published in 2011 captured the key learnings from this – available on the EA website. Others such as Water Companies use it to mitigate risk from sewer flooding for their customers.
It is now one of the tools that people can use to protect property however it is not a replacement for a community scheme – Property Level can be used in places where engineered solutions are either not cost effective or not practical for technical reasons. Typically, this might be isolated properties, properties at risk from short duration pluvial or fluvial events or locations where the flood risk comes from a number of different sources.
People are important and a key side effect is that it provides a way for local communities to be more engaged in managing their flood risk
in 2012 Defra launched a Flood Resilience Community Pathfinder Scheme is to enable communities to find simple, effective ways to minimize their flood risk, improve their levels of preparedness, and build confidence and increased peace of mind. Authorities in: Blackburn, Buckinghamshire, Calderdale, Cornwall, Devon, Liverpool, Northamptonshire, Rochdale, Slough, Southampton, Swindon, Warwickshire and West Sussex, are implementing projects. Many of the projects are partnerships, with the successful authority working with a range of national and local organizations to deliver the aims of their project. The National Flood Forum is involved in a number of the projects.
We have also ran a couple of social science projects to understand what we know already as a sector about resilience and to identify gaps for further research is necessary and to find good practice that we should share more widely.

5. Flood Community Pathfinder
Scheme Launched 25 March 2013 to run from 2013 to 2015.
13 local authorities sharing £4.0m of Defra funding, Blackburn; Buckinghamshire; Calderdale; Cornwall; Devon; Liverpool; Northamptonshire; Rochdale; Slough; Southampton; Swindon; Warwickshire; and West Sussex
The intention of the scheme is to learn lessons about what action at a community level really works for local people on the ground

6. Pathfinder Projects

7. Flood Community Pathfinder
Robbie Craig;
Water and Flood Risk Management