Well, after two days of visiting residents who have suffered the consequences of flooding I am feeling depressed. Without doubt the damage water can do is devastating and the fear it brings is debilitating. Flooding is a complex issue it seems but one we need to get to the bottom of. Each flooded area tells a different story as to its cause. I will be pressing for a multiagency review of this issue when things calm down a little.

Here is the advice from the County Council:

The most important thing is that you encourage the reporting of any flooding sites to the Highways reporting tool, with photographs if they can be taken safely.  For those that cannot use the tool, they can call 0345 606 6171 but there are high call volumes so we are trying to save this for those that really can’t access the internet or more urgent or complex reports.

The more evidence we can gather and submit the better.  We are particularly asking all those with property flooding to report this to us on every occasion.

You might find the below information useful,  – it has been circulated to all parish clerks and promoted in the press.

Suffolk County Council is designated as the Lead Local Flood Authority, and has a duty to collect information about the impact of flooding including undertaking investigations into “significant” flood events.

We will carry out investigations when internal flooding has occurred multiple times for a single dwelling or when five or more homes are internally flooded in a specific location. Once investigated, these reports seek to highlight the likely causes, options to reduce future flood risk and the relevant organisation/homeowner responsibility for undertaking any improvements. The Council has no powers to require any of the responsible bodies to take action, but the reports are published on the Council’s website.

So, what happens next?

With an event on the scale of Storm Babet the immediate challenge is to record where the flooding has occurred and the extent of the impact, so we are asking for your support to encourage all affected residents to report significant flooding to individual properties using the Highways Reporting Tool, if they do not have access to the internet they should call the SCC customer service number: 0345 606 6171.

How to use the Reporting Tool: Click on Report It, then click Drainage and Flooding and select the most appropriate drop down option. Please include as much information as you have, there is also an option to upload photos.

Once a report has been submitted, officers will contact the resident to gather further information and prioritise those locations that meet the criteria for an official investigation (known as a Section 19 Investigation). It is anticipated that this initial contact will be made during the next week. The investigations will follow, but until the scale of the challenge is determined it is difficult to estimate how long it will take to complete this task. It is expected to take at least several weeks, but could take months before all of the investigation reports are published.

It is far too early to say what new projects may be started to reduce the risk of this type of flooding happening again. The results of the investigations may reveal opportunities for the Council or other organisations to develop new projects. The government currently has a 6-year £5.2 Billion programme to fund flood projects and there is the potential to access this in Suffolk, however local match funding from local authorities, businesses and even homeowners is often required to fully fund this work.

If you know of residents in your communities which suffered significant flooding to their property, please forward them this email and encourage them to use the reporting tool to allow us to prioritise the next steps.

Link to further information about Flood Risk Management in Suffolk: https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/flooding-and-drainage/flood-management-in-suffolk

And of course, residents are more than welcome to email and contact County Councillor Bobby Bennett with the report numbers if they need escalating.

Bobby can be contacted on

07813551959 or email bobby.bennett@suffolk.gov.uk