Long-awaited report into Central Bedfordshire flooding in the wake Storm Henk published today

The region was hit with almost a month’s worth of rain in just three in the first month of last year when more than 35 areas reported flooding affecting property, land and roads, with 15 reports of properties being flooded.

Under Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, the council is required to investigate flood where multiple properties are affected.

A year on from the storm, Central Bedfordshire Council has published its findings.

You can read the full report, which details the impact on individual areas and work done – and planned – to tackle flooding, online here.

Leighton Buzzard was badly hit on January 5 2024, when “61 per cent of the monthly average rainfall was recorded within a 12-hour period ending at 05:00.” Up to this date, the rain gauge at Drayton Parslow, located northwest of Leighton Buzzard, had recorded more than 135 per cent of the monthly average in just six days.

The report read: “The Environment Agency’s initial analysis of recorded level data at Clipstone Weir indicates that the water level on 5 January 2024 was the highest since the site became operational in 2003.”

In Tempsford, drainage systems “were overwhelmed by surface water and groundwater ingress”. High flows at an Anglian Water pumping station meant that water went back up within the drainage network.

During the storm, the council had “90 reports concerning flooding to homes, roads and external infrastructure and spaces”. Of the 15 properties flooded,13 were homes and two were commercial buildings.

The report stated: “The majority of flooding experienced in Central Bedfordshire was as a result of these overland flows following topographical routes, as well as out of bank flooding from rivers and exceedance of local storm drainage networks design capacity.”

The council set out recommendations to reduce the impact of similar weather on the area going forward – including setting up Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) for town and parish councils, to help them tackle floods as they happen.

The report explained the council would “work with partners and local communities to promote Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), to improve the community’s ability to plan, respond and recover from flooding.”

CERTs in the area were given Community Flood Kits with basic supplies – but the council says that these stocks may now be depleted, and it “will work with the Environment Agency to see if further funding may be provided to top up these for future use.”

The report also outlined steps for property owners to take to minimise flooding’s impact on their homes.

It stated: “Property owners should assess the need for Property Level Resilience (PLR) measures to enhance community resilience before a flood occurs.

“This includes evaluating and implementing actions to protect individual properties, such as: Installing flood gates or flood doors; Fitting air brick covers; Raising electrical sockets; Installing non-return valves on waste pipes; Tanking basements with waterproof materials to an appropriate height."

Since Storm Henk, Central Bedfordshire Council says it and its partner agencies have carried out work to reduce its flood risk like clearing drains along major roads, inspecting and maintaining sewers, and holding community engagement events in affected areas.

Leader of Central Bedfordshire Council, Cllr Adam Zerny, said: “Storm Henk caused widespread disruption, with heavy rainfall and already saturated ground leading to surface water and river flooding across multiple communities. This report provides an important record of what happened and sets out key actions for the future.

"This is an important point at which to reflect upon the incredible work put in by volunteers, council officers and the emergency services, without which residents would certainly have experienced a far worse effect.

"We are working closely with all relevant agencies, including the Environment Agency, water companies, Internal Drainage Boards, and landowners, with whom we share a joint responsibility for flooding, to understand why these floods happened and what can be done to reduce the impact next time it happens."