Who manages flood risk?

Wigan Council is the strategic leader for flood risk management across Wigan borough. We work in partnership with other organisations to manage flood risk and help communities to become more resilient to flooding.

Although we have the powers to manage flooding from local sources, no single organisation has the means to reduce all flood risk.

• See land drainage to find out more about landowners and their duties.

Our responsibilities

• Developing a Local Flood Risk Management Strategy
• Ensuring all flood risk management organisations are aware of their responsibilities, depending on the type of flood risk - see table of responsibilities
• Coordinating communication, both with the public and between organisations
• Preparing reports and plans to meet the requirements of the Flood Risk Regulations 2009 (external link)
• Carrying out flood investigations where appropriate and publishing reports
• Keeping an asset register of structures and features which may affect the local flood risk
• Designation of third-party assets where appropriate
• Regulating ordinary watercourses (land drains) and ensuring landowners maintain watercourses on their land - see land drainage
• Issuing land drainage consents for works on ordinary watercourses
• Providing advice to the planning authority on surface water drainage strategies for major developments
• Carrying out works to manage flood risk from surface water.

Different types of flood risk - who deals with what?

Please note, we do not get involved in neighbourly disputes that concern flooding issues on private land. This remains the responsibility of the landowner(s).