The council is proposing a mixture of digital and on-the-ground solutions in a bid to reduce the risk of future flooding in the city.
MK Council’s Cabinet is set to approve a new flood risk management plan at a meeting tomorrow (12/7).
As stated in the report, Milton Keynes Council was identified as a Flood Risk Area, within flood risk management plans, 2021-2027 following a preliminary flood risk assessment which was completed back in 2016.
As a result of this, Milton Keynes Council must produce a Flood Risk Management Plan.
The plan, which will be discussed in Tuesday's meeting, describes the Council’s intentions to work even more closely with partners and communities to assess and respond to flood risks.
Some of the points considered in the plan:
- The increased use of digital technology - for instance workers using mobile devices to measure and record water flow and installing sensors in flood risk areas to send alerts.
- Working with partners on the good maintenance of essential flood infrastructure.
- Continue adapting MK’s local planning policy to reduce flood risk with particular focus on brownfield development sites
Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Sustainability, Cllr Wilson-Marklew said: "Climate change is already having a very real impact on the severity of rainfall in Milton Keynes which sharply increases the chances of flooding.
"This extreme rainfall is out of our short-term control, but we can take sensible steps to reduce flood risks, and help residents and businesses be ‘flood prepared’. It’s important that we set out our plans so partners and communities can understand the risk of flooding, and how they can contribute to our work to reduce this risk."
