Notts County Council publishes reports on Storm Henk flooding

Storm Henk brought heavy rainfall to Nottinghamshire from 2nd to 6th January 2024, following a period of wet weather that had saturated the ground and raised river levels. As a result, 344 homes and 40 businesses suffered internal flooding and 69 roads were closed.

The County Council, as the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), has a duty under Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 to investigate and report on the flooding incidents.

These reports detail the causes and impacts of the flooding, the roles and responsibilities of different agencies, and the multi-agency response to the flooding event. They do not propose any specific solutions to reduce future flood risk, which is up to each agency to decide.

According to the reports, rivers and streams overflowing after heavy rain and high river levels were the main sources of flooding. The River Trent reached near-record levels in some places, blocking the drainage of smaller watercourses and causing widespread flooding in 65 communities along the Trent corridor.

The response to the flooding was led by the Local Resilience Forum (LRF), a partnership of agencies including the Environment Agency, Nottinghamshire County Council, district and borough councils, emergency services, health organisations and voluntary groups.

The LRF activated its plans on 2 January and declared a Major Incident on 4 January to coordinate the efforts of all partners. The LRF set up a Tactical Coordination Group (TCG) that met 12 times, day and night, to prioritise resources to save and protect human life and reduce harm.

The TCG also established a forward command point at Castle House, Newark and Sherwood District Council to support the communities along the Trent Valley that were flooded or isolated by the water. The LRF then formed a Recovery Coordinating Group to ensure ongoing support to those communities affected.

The county council provided various forms of support to the affected communities, such as sandbags, road closures, structural assessments, emergency accommodation, welfare assistance, and public information.

Via East Midlands Ltd provided a critical front-line response and responded to 178 calls for support from communities. At the same time, nine volunteer-led community flood signage schemes also contributed to the response, promoting road safety and community resilience in their local areas.

The county council launched a Recovery Grant scheme to help residents and businesses recover from the flooding and 141 claims have been paid out. DEFRA, district and borough councils also made grants available to assist residents and businesses.

Councillor Mike Adams, Chairman of the Place Select Committee at Nottinghamshire County Council, said:

"The flooding caused by Storm Henk was devastating for many of our residents and businesses and we appreciate the courage and strength they showed in coping with such a difficult situation.

“We have carried out our statutory duty to investigate and report on the flooding, and we are grateful to all the partners and agencies who contributed to the reports.

“The reports provide a clear picture of what happened and who is responsible for managing the different sources of flood risk. They also highlight the good work that has been done by the county council and others to support the recovery and resilience of our communities.

Councillor Neil Clarke MBE, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment at Nottinghamshire County Council, said:

“While I am proud of the work we have done so far, I am under no illusion that we are still in the recovery phase. We need to understand the true scale of the challenge ahead and are collaborating with other agencies to learn lessons and create a sustainable action plan in response.

“I want to reassure residents that our partnership approach will be comprehensive and varied as the flooding issues are complex. We recently hosted a Strategic Flood Risk Management Board with our partner agencies and will be leading a Regional Strategic Flood Board later in the year.

“We have an ongoing programme of work to support the areas that suffered from internal flooding which involves further detailed studies, drainage surveys, natural flood management, working with riparian landowners, supporting community groups and encouraging residents and businesses to take steps to protect themselves and their properties.

“In addition, we are continuing to coordinate and build upon the hugely successful community flood signage scheme, which has been recognised nationally as a leading example of community engagement and resilience.

"This scheme allows trained members of the community to close roads during times of flooding, which are enforced by the Police, enhancing the safety and resilience of the affected areas. We are delighted to have 485 trained volunteers and 28 active schemes, with 10 new communities joining and 13 more communities interested.

“I understand how challenging and stressful it is to face the threat of flooding and to deal with the aftermath. That is why we are committed to working closely with our partners to find the most effective and sustainable solutions to reduce the risk and impact of flooding in Nottinghamshire.

"As always, I appreciate the resilience and cooperation of our residents and businesses, and we will continue to listen to their needs and concerns as we move forward together.”

The statutory Section 19 Reports are available to view on the county council's website.