Graeme Kane Mole Valley District Council LG Challenge ......Bruce Lockhart Scholarship Key Lessons: • Make it clear how the community benefits • Don’t try to off-load responsibilities

Graeme Kane Mole Valley District Council LG Challenge Winner 2014

Northamptonshire

Community Resilience Pathfinder Project

July 2015 Josie Bateman – Flood and Water Manager

Thank you for Listening

Question and Answer Session

Northamptonshire



“Nowhere is people power more apparent than in the face of natural disaster.” Cormac Russell, Asset Based Community Development Institute

• Emergencies happen

• Communities that are better prepared before any emergency fare better

• Common threats mobilise a community into action

Therefore, let’s build community resilience groups.

Start with a community’s

strengths

Identify all priorities and

risks

Linked in with partners

Nudge them to do more

“Community resilience is like a muscle, which when exercised builds both strength and flexibility.” Carnegie Trust Report, 2011

Individuals

Local Authority

Fire and Rescue

Local businesses

Faith Community

Local charities

Schools

Parish Councils

Police

Environment Agency Military

Health services

Bruce Lockhart Scholarship

Key Lessons:

• Make it clear how the community benefits

• Don’t try to off-load responsibilities to the community

• Gain community trust: professional offer of training, insurance and a structure

• Communities all engage differently, and it takes a long time.

• Identify:

– What the community can do better themselves

– What we can do better together

– What needs to remain with local authorities and agencies

Northamptonshire



Northamptonshire Pathfinder Project

• One of 13 local authorities to secure Defra funding

• Projects aimed at supporting communities “to help themselves” in tackling the risk of flooding

• Secured £300,000.

• Two year project ending April 2015

• Evaluation and legacy planning

Northamptonshire



Northamptonshire Pathfinder Project

• One of 13 local authorities to secure Defra funding

• Projects aimed at supporting communities “to help themselves” in tackling the risk of flooding

• Secured £300,000.

• Two year project ending April 2015

• Evaluation and legacy planning

Selection of 15 Communities

Community Flood Risk Reports

Community Flood Risk and Mitigation Investigations

Understanding Roles and Responsibilities

Community Rain Gauge Warning Systems

• Compact package

• Telemetry intelligence

• Located in schools

• Records rainfall

• Raises

alerts/warnings

• Allows for action

before a flood

Community Flood Events

Community Flood Forums/Wardens

Property Level Protection – Free Surveys

School Education Resources

Community Flood Stores • Purchase equipment - £3k

• Used by communities

during heavy rainfall/

potential flood events

• To mitigate and reduce

impacts

• To clean up after a flood

• Empowering a community

response

• Store contents will be made

available through the

online-toolkit

Community Emergency and Flood Plans

• Support communities in their desire to write a community emergency plan.

• Outline ownership, roles and responsibilities.

• Outline vulnerable areas and people.

Flood Toolkit

http://www.floodtoolkit.com/

Lessons Learnt

• Each community is different – not interested unless directly affected by flooding

• Advertise awareness events far and wide

• General lack of understanding of the different types of flood risk

• Key questions that need answering:

– Who’s responsible for maintenance ?, Who’s responsible for flooding ?, How do I report flooding? How is this development going to affect my flood risk?

• Single point of contact for each community

• On-the-ground survey timings

• PLP surveys not popular – what are the catches?

• Educating children ensures the next generation are flood aware - the messages do get taken home

Documents

Graeme Kane Mole Valley District Council LG Challenge ......Bruce Lockhart Scholarship Key Lessons: • Make it clear how the community benefits • Don’t try to off-load responsibilities