Cash and expertise are vital if councils are to fulfil their new responsibilities for managing flood risk, the LGA has warned. The Draft Flood and Water Bill is set to give local authorities the lead role in managing surface water in their areas, but an LGA study has revealed universal concern about a lack of clarity over how the new role will be funded, and the availability of expert staff. The Government says councils should pay for the new responsibilities with the money they save by spending less on clearing up after floods in future. But the LGA warned councils currently paid for clear-up out of budgets for other services. Cllr Gary Porter, chairman of the LGA environment board, said: ‘The Government needs to take another look at its calculations. When councils spend money clearing up after floods it comes from budgets for other services, so it is wrong to say that councils can pay for this new role by spending less on flood clear up. ‘Investment now will save the taxpayer more in the future and help create scores of new jobs. There is an urgent need for more training courses to develop the new skills needed to manage local flood risk.'