Water Management Consortium Information Sheet - January 2016 BACKGROUND Lindsey Marsh Drainage Board, Isle of Axholme and North Nottinghamshire Water Level Management Board and Trent Valley Internal Drainage Board are independent statutory land drainage authorities constituted under the Land Drainage Act 1930 and continued in being by the Water Act 1989 and the Land Drainage Acts 1991 and 1994. The Flood Risk Regulations 2009 and the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 confirmed Internal Drainage Boards as one of the key Risk Management Authorities (RMAs). IDBs were formed to provide water level management and land drainage to areas of special drainage need, that is those areas of England at or below sea level. IDBs were historically tied to agriculture and food production but today the emphasis of their works is extended to flood risk management for urban areas, facilitating economic growth in the areas vulnerable to flood, and the conservation and enhancement of the environment. The offices of Lindsey Marsh Drainage Board are situated at Manby some four miles southeast of Louth, the Isle of Axholme and North Nottinghamshire Water Level Management Board's offices are located in Epworth, North Lincolnshire and the offices of the Trent Valley Internal Drainage Board are located in Newark, Nottinghamshire. WATER MANAGEMENT CONSORTIUM The three Boards work together as a consortium of which, Lindsey Marsh Drainage Board acts as lead Board. The total area of the Consortium is 125,711 ha. The Boards are all statutory constituted corporate bodies and independently maintain their districts with their own operational staff and direct labour organisations. The Consortium arrangements are bound in a deed of agreement signed by all the Boards and it is considered that such an organisation creates a viable and effective unit providing all the necessary professional services required, at an economic cost. The Consortium shares dedicated specialist staff such as the Chief Executive, Engineer, Director of Finance, Environmental Officer, Health and Safety Advisor, HR and administrative support as well as sharing plant and equipment such as mobile pumps. As the individual operational teams are relatively small, being part of the Consortium means that staff can also be deployed to provide additional cover if needed. Water levels and pumping stations are monitored remotely to ensure that they are operating efficiently and providing the correct levels of protection and land drainage. The Consortium’s Duty Officer provides a 24 hour emergency service and this is backed up by the operations department who operate a rota system and respond to any issues as they arise. When a serious flood event occurs the Control Room is manned 24 hours a day at the Consortium's headquarters and the operations department will operate a shift system. All three Boards' direct labour organisations operate a modern fleet of excavators, tractors, flails and other supporting plant. The Boards' policies are to ensure that the plant fleet is economical and efficient and are always seeking ways of reducing their carbon footprint and use of environmentally friendly fuels and lubricants. The Direct Labour Organisations provide a vital support mechanism for the local community in the event of heavy rainfall and flooding. Lindsey Marsh Drainage Board Isle of Axholme and North Nottinghamshire Water level Management Board Trent Valley Internal Drainage Board Maintenance of Board maintained watercourses is carried out annually and reforming work is undertaken on a rolling programme. The Boards also have an asset renewal and refurbishment programme for all their pumping stations and undertake schemes to improve the drainage of the area. The Boards are funded by drainage rates issued on all occupiers of agricultural land and/or buildings within the district and special levies paid by the local charging authorities in respect of domestic and commercial properties. The three Boards are financially independent, and rates are set annually in January each year. LINDSEY MARSH DRAINAGE BOARD Lindsey Marsh Drainage Board is the largest drainage board in England. The Board’s district comprises an area of fens and marshland stretching from the foot of the Lincolnshire Wolds eastwards to the sea and as far as Wainfleet to the south and Cleethorpes to the north. Area (ha) Maintained Watercourse (km) Pumping Stations 52,500 938 30 Within the area there are a number of sites of designated environmental interest including 44 local nature reserves and 11 sites of special scientific interest. The policy and strategy of Lindsey Marsh Drainage Board is the responsibility of a Board of 21 members, 10 of which are directly elected and 11 are nominated by the local district councils. The Board holds five meetings per year. The Board employs 32 members of staff, a Direct Labour Organisation of 15 based at the Board’s depot, the remainder based at the headquarters at Wellington House and providing support to the whole Consortium. ISLE OF AXHOLME AND NORTH NOTTINGHAMSHIRE WATER LEVEL MANAGEMENT BOARD The Isle of Axholme area is within the Tidal Trent protected flood plain and is very high grade agricultural land with a number of high value developed areas and industrial installations. The Board provides drainage for parts of Retford and the North Lincolnshire Towns and villages. Area (ha) Maintained Watercourse (km) Pumping Stations 28,950 448 20 Within the area there are a number of sites of designated environmental interest including three local nature reserves and 13 sites of special scientific interest. The policy and strategy of the Isle of Axholme and North Nottinghamshire Water Level Management Board is the responsibility of a Board of 25 members, 12 of which are directly elected and 13 are nominated by the local district councils. The Board holds five meetings per year. There are seven operational staff based at the depot in Derrythorpe and a Rating Officer at the Epworth Office. TRENT VALLEY INTERNAL DRAINAGE BOARD Trent Valley Internal Drainage Board was formed in April 2012 on the amalgamation of the former Newark Area Internal Drainage Board, Laneham Internal Drainage Board, Kingston Brook Internal - 2 - Drainage Board and Fairham Brook Internal Drainage Board. The Board has an office situated in Newark. Area (ha) Maintained Watercourse (km) Pumping Stations 44,261 720 18 Within the area there are 8 sites of special scientific interest. The policy and strategy of the Trent Valley Internal Drainage Board is the responsibility of a Board of 25 members, 12 of which are directly elected and 13 are nominated by the local district councils. The Board holds five meetings per year. The Board has a direct labour organisation of 14 based at four depots throughout the area and an Administration Assistant at the office in Newark. Water Management Consortium Wellington House, Manby Park, Manby, LOUTH, Lincolnshire, LN11 8UU. Telephone: 01507 328095 Facsimile: 01507 328097 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.wmc-idbs.org.uk - 3 - .