How well prepared is the capital for managing flood risk?

19 JULY 2010

Climate change will bring increased risks of flooding in London – but how well prepared is the capital to deal with it?

The London Assembly’s Environment Committee today launches a new investigation to find out.

The Committee will focus its review on the flooding risks that most often affect the largest number of Londoners - surface water and river flooding – mapping the risks and assessing challenges [1].

No agency has overall responsibility for flood risk, so the investigation will review how all the relevant bodies – Environment Agency, local authorities and the GLA - are working together.  The Committee will also look at the Mayor’s role. 

Darren Johnson AM, Chair of the London Assembly Environment Committee said:

“As more and more homes are built on floodplains and gardens are paved over, the risk of flooding increases.   

“We recognise that it is not possible to construct flood defences to prevent all flooding, but we have to prepare and mitigate as best we can.   We want to be assured that all the relevant organisations are working together to manage flooding risk in London as effectively as possible.”

The Committee will gather information from a range of experts and organisations over the summer and plans to hold a public meeting at City Hall in September. Its report on rain and river flood risk management is due to be published at the end of the year.

Notes for Editors:

  1. London is at risk of flooding from five sources:  tidal, fluvial, surface water, sewer and groundwater. 
  2. The Mayor has produced a draft  water strategy which is available here and a climate change adaptation strategy available here
  3. The investigation will cover:
  • The clarity of roles and responsibilities between the various bodies responsible for flood risk management, including the way they work together, as well as issues relating to specific flooding risk.
  • The risks that most often affect the largest numbers of Londoners and also the areas where the GLA as a regional authority has the greatest role.

     4.     The Chair of the Environment Committee, Darren Johnson AM, is available for interview.  See contact details below.

      5.    Further details on the investigation can be found here and in the scoping paper here

      6.    As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.

For media enquiries, please contact Julie Wheldon/Lisa Moore on 020 7983 4228/4283.  For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer.  Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100.