Communities across Hertfordshire are being empowered to better prepare for flood events, thanks to an innovative new pilot scheme led by Hertfordshire County Council and funded by Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee.

The scheme, a first of its kind for Hertfordshire, has seen five flood-prone communities, Kimpton, Stanstead Abbotts, Harpenden, Hunsdon and Watton-at-Stone, each receive a bespoke communal flood kit designed to help residents act quickly and effectively when flooding occurs.

The project, which began in June 2024, aims to strengthen local resilience and bring people together to protect homes, businesses, and shared spaces. Each participating community has also developed its own tailored flood plan as part of the scheme, ensuring local knowledge shapes the best course of action in an emergency.

Cllr Paul Zukowskyj, Executive Member for Environment, Transport and Growth at Hertfordshire County Council, explained : "Climate change is making extreme weather more common, and that includes flooding. As a county, we can't stop the rain, but we can support communities to be better prepared. This scheme is about people coming together, planning, and making sure the right equipment is ready and available when it's needed most. "We're proud to be leading this pilot, especially as other areas across the country already benefit from similar support via the Environment Agency. In Hertfordshire, we've taken the initiative ourselves, with funding from Thames RFCC, to make it happen."

Each flood kit has been tailored to meet the local risk profile and community needs, and contains equipment such as puddle pumps, flood sacks, high-vis jackets, brooms, flood warning signs, and poly boom barriers. Kits are stored in secure sheds supplied by Shedstore and stocked by safety supplier Arco, with support from local town and parish councils.

Harpenden resident David Shannon, said: "Having access to the flood kit provides reassurance as we know that we have access to tools that can help to mitigate the effects of flooding and help to keep our homes safe if flooding happens."

Hertfordshire County Council is now inviting other communities who have experienced flooding and would benefit from a shared kit and plan to register their interest. To be eligible, communities must:

• Have a shared space with public liability insurance
• Have support from the landowner
• Be able to demonstrate local interest and engagement
• Identify a location to hold an initial engagement meeting

Interested communities can register their interest by completing a short survey at Hertfordshire Flood Kit Application form