The LGFF is intended to be the grass roots voice of local government, it will be working to ensure that the Draft Floods and Water Bill due in Spring 2009 gives local government a fair deal.  The LGFF will be a medium term task and finish group focused on the publication of the draft Floods and Water Bill, rather than an open ended commitment.

The LGFF was launched on July 14th in Gloucestershire by the leader of Gloucestershire County Council Barry Dare. As Councillor Dare said

“Our aim, through the Local Government Flood Forum is to put this determination to give councils a fair deal into practice and to show how working together will really make a difference.”

The LGFF will be chaired by Councillor Dare and the secretariat will be provided by the LGiU. The LGFF will be a cross party non-political forum for senior members and officers working for the interests of local authorities. The draft objectives are:

•           To provide a coordinated voice on flooding issues for local government.

•           To discuss the key flooding issues for local government.

•           To generate new ideas and policy solutions that help local government.

There is no financial commitment required to join the LGFF. The first meeting will be held on October 14^th at the LGiU’s offices in London.

Recruitment Strategy

We have already contacted those local authorities that were mainly affected by the summer 2007 floods or attended the launch. I am pleased to say that we have received positive responses from:

Boston Borough Council

Cambridgeshire County Council

Cheltenham Borough Council

City of York Council

Coventry City Council

Cumbria County Council

Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council

Gloucestershire County Council

Essex County Council

Hampshire County Council

Herefordshire County Council

Kent County Council

Kingston Upon Hull City Council

Lancashire County Council

Leeds City Council

Lincolnshire County Council

Oxford City Council

Oxfordshire County Council

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Somerset County Council

South Staffordshire Council

The Vale of White Horse Council

Wealden District Council

West Berkshire Council

West Oxfordshire District Council

Worcestershire County Council

Arlingham Parish Council

We now wish to build the LGFF into a group that can represent all local government, reflecting the diversity of situations and views.

Activity to date

2nd July          Meeting with the Floods and Water Bill team at Defra.

14th July         Launch of the Local Government Flooding Forum

16th July         Meeting with Elliot Morley MP chair of the All Party

                        Parliamentary Water Group.

16th July         Meeting with David Rooke Head of Flood Risk Management,

                        Environment Agency

18th July         Meeting with John Healey Minister for Floods Recovery at CLG

Planned activities for Chair and/or LGFF members

Meeting with government departments on the Pitt Review, facilitated by the LGA on September 12^th.

First full meeting of LGFF scheduled for October 14^th in London

Contact meetings with ministers

Contact meetings with opposition politicians

Meeting with the Environment Agency

Meeting with the Audit Commission

Regular meetings with the Draft Floods and Water Bill team

Conference in November

Press campaign to publicise the work of the LGFF

As you can see there is plenty of work to do, for further information

Please contact Barry O'Brien Barry.obrien@lgiu.rg.uk