The 2007 Pitt review highlighted the risks of surface water flooding and made a number of recommendations relating to surface water issues which included giving local authorities new roles and responsibilities for local flood risk management.

On 18 August, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs announced that local communities across England will benefit from £16 million funding to help them tackle surface water flooding.

£9.7 million has been awarded to 77 local authorities for areas where evidence shows that the risk and potential impact of surface water flooding could be highest. Local authorities for all other areas will also be able to bid for a share of £5 million to help them deal with known local flooding problems.

DEFRA will publish details of how local authorities can bid for the £5 million funding and the criteria on which bids will be assessed. This will be available on the DEFRA website. Innovative proposals for tackling surface water flooding, especially in rural areas, will be particularly welcomed.

An additional £1 million will be spent on making training, data and other tools available to help all local authorities manage flood risk

Further details of this announcement can be found on the DEFRA website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/policv/surfacewaterdrainage.htm.