Under Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, Herefordshire Council as the lead local flood authority (LLFA), has a duty to investigate incidents of flooding.

The act states that:

On becoming aware of a flood in its area, a lead local flood authority must, to the extent that it considers it necessary or appropriate, investigate:

• Which risk management authorities have relevant flood risk management functions, and
• Whether each of those risk management authorities has exercised, or is proposing to exercise, those functions in response to the flood

Where an authority carries out an investigation under subsection 1 it must:

• Publish the results of its investigation, and
• Notify any relevant risk management authorities