A scheme which sees volunteers support their communities during times of flooding and severe weather has been shortlisted for a local government award.

Nottinghamshire County Council’s Community Flood Signage Scheme is led by the Flood Risk Management team and has been shortlisted for a Local Government Chronicle (LGC) award in the Community Involvement category.

The scheme currently has over 250 trained volunteer signage wardens who prevent vehicles driving through flood water, safely close roads susceptible to flooding and help to limit damage to properties to help their communities become more flood resilient.

There are currently 18 community schemes across Nottinghamshire, with 10 of these being set up in the last 18 months and a further 16 in development.

The county council’s Flood Risk Management team supports volunteers to agree trigger points which, once met, will result in a road closure. Examples of these trigger points are flood water levels reaching a set marker or a road becoming submerged to kerb level.

Volunteers are then given water safety and risk control training in partnership with Via East Midlands and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service as well as access to personal protective equipment, access to online refresher training and events organised by the county council to bring volunteers together to share knowledge and experiences.

Following recent flood events, additional schemes have been set up after the county council carried out targeted leaflet drops to encourage volunteers to sign up. The schemes are now thriving with volunteers fully trained and ready to respond should a flood event occur.

Councillor Neil Clarke MBE, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “This is excellent news that our community flood signage scheme has been shortlisted for an LGC award.

“I have seen first-hand the devastation that flooding can cause across Nottinghamshire and having met a number of our volunteer signage wardens I am proud of the work that they do to better protect their communities from flooding.

“Acknowledging and valuing local knowledge is extremely important, as the residents are the experts having witnessed the flooding themselves and by empowering them to respond we are succeeding in our aim of creating more flood resilient communities across Nottinghamshire.

“Nottinghamshire has experienced two significant storms in the space of just three months – Storm’s Babet and Henk – and it is great to hear that there are 16 new community signage schemes in development which means more volunteers will be able to support their communities.

“I’d like to wish the Flood Risk Management team the best of luck as we look ahead to the LGC awards on 12 June.”

If you would like to become a Flood Signage Warden, please contact the Nottinghamshire County Council flood risk management team by emailing: flood.team@nottscc.gov.uk