NALC and ACRE publish first-of-its-kind flooding case studies for parish and town councils

We have partnered with the Action for Communities in Rural England (ACRE) to publish brand-new flooding case studies as part of a dynamic project to promote the excellent work parish and town councils can do to combat flooding in their place.

The resource, the first of its kind in the parish and town council sector, has been published under the Rural Flood Resilience Partnership (RFRP), which aims to strengthen collaboration, better understand the unique vulnerabilities of rural areas, support rural communities to strengthen their flood resilience and support adaptation opportunities to reduce flood impacts.

The resource features tailored case studies from five parish and town councils in rural areas: Alcester Town Council, Cubbington Parish Council, Great Alne Parish Council, Heighington Parish Council, and Nether Whitacre Parish Council. These contribute to the RFRP work plan to ensure that planning for future flood resilience is being routinely considered by rural communities and those working with them.

Each case study is in-depth and provides details on relevant statistics, the type of flooding experienced, what the problem or issue was, what action was taken, and how the community was involved in resolving the problem. The resource also includes individual and overall key learnings from each of the five case studies.

Corinne Pluchino, chief executive of ACRE, said: "The hot, dry summer of 2026 has meant rural communities that were already vulnerable to flooding are now even more exposed. With so much ground now bone-dry and unable to absorb any excess rainfall, one flash flood could have devastating consequences. These case studies of real-life preparedness highlight the practical actions communities have taken to preserve both lives and livelihoods from extreme weather and demonstrate how others can adopt similar best practice. As the cooler, wetter months draw closer, I hope these accounts of lived experience help others living with similar risks to plan, prepare and, most importantly, protect."