A Vision for Internal Drainage Boards in England and Wales Vale Of Pickering IDBs Rye Thornton Muston & Yedingham ● Lower Wye IDB ● Powysland IDB WHITTLESEY ● River Lugg IDB CONSORTIUM Witham 1st & 3rd District IDBs OF IDBs Upper & Lower Medway IDBs Ely Group of IDBs § Armthorpe IDB § Haddenham Level DC § Ramsey IDB § Upper Witham IDB § Everton IDB § Lower Ouse IDB § Rea IDB § Welland & Deepings IDB § Gainsborough IDB § Lower Severn IDB § Rivers Idle & Ryton IDB § West Mendip IDB § Market Weighton IDB § Strine IDB § North Somerset (2005) IDB § Tickhill IDB 0 Who are we? § Newark Area IDB § Norfolk Rivers IDB § North East Lindsey IDB The Vision has been developed by the § North Level District IDB Association of Drainage Authorities on behalf of § North Somerset (2005) IDB the Internal Drainage Board (IDB) community in § Needham Buriel and Birdbeck District DC England and Wales. The Vision statement has § Nightlayers IDB § Nordelph IDB been endorsed by the following organisations: § Northwold IDB § Old West IDB § Alconbury and Ellington IDB § Padnal and Waterden IDB § Ancholme IDB § Parrett IDB § Armthorpe Internal Drainage Board § Potteric Carr IDB § Ashfields and West Moor IDB § Powysland IDB § Bedale and Upper Swale IDB § Ramsey IDB st § Bedfordshire and River Ivel IDB § Ramsey 1 (Hollow) IDB th § Benwick IDB § Ramsey 4 (Middlemoor) IDB § Black Drain DB § Ramsey Upwood and Great Raveley IDB § Black Sluice IDB § Ransonmoor District DC § Bluntisham IDB § Rea IDB § Broads (2006) IDB § Reedness and Swinefleet DB § Buckingham and River Ouzel IDB § Rivers Idle and Ryton IDB § Burnt Fen IDB § River Lugg IDB § Caldicot and Wentlooge Levels IDB § River Stour IDB § Cawdle Fen IDB § River Wiske IDB § Churchfield and Plawfield IDB § Rye IDB § Cod Beck IDB § Sawtry IDB § Conington and Holme IDB § Scunthorpe IDB § Curf and Wimblington Combined IDB § Selby Area IDB § Dearne and Dove IDB § Southery and District IDB § Downham and Stow Bardolph IDB § South Holland IDB § Drysides IDB § Sow and Penk IDB § Dun DC § Stringside IDB § East of the Ouse, Polver and Nar IDB § Stoke Ferry IDB § East Suffolk IDB § Sutton and Mepal IDB § Euximoor IDB § Swaffham IDB § Everton IDB § Swavesey IDB § Fairham Brook IDB § Thornton IDB § Feldale IDB § Tickhill IDB § Finningley IDB § Tween Bridge IDB § Gainsborough IDB § Upper Axe IDB § Garthorpe DB § Upper Brue IDB § Goole Fields IDB § Upper Medway IDB § Haddenham Level DC § Upper Witham IDB § Hatfield Chase IDB § Upwell IDB § Holmewood & District IDB § Waldersey IDB § Hundred Foot Washes IDB § Warboys Somersham and Pidley IDB § Hundred of Wisbech IDB § Waterbeach Level IDB § Isle of Axeholme IDB § Welland and Deepings IDB § King’s Lynn IDB § Went IDB § Knottingley to Gowdall IDB § West Mendip IDB § Ladus District DC § White Fen District DC § Lakenheath IDB § Whittlesey IDB st § Laneham IDB § Witham 1 District IDB rd § Lindsey Marsh DB § Witham 3 District IDB th § Littleport and Downham IDB § Witham 4 District IDB § Lower Axe IDB § Woodwalton DC § Lower Brue IDB § Lower Medway IDB Association of Drainage Authorities § Lower Ouse IDB § Lower Severn IDB § Lower Swale IDB The Association of Drainage Authorities § Lower Wye IDB (ADA) is the membership organisation for those § Manea and Welney District DC involved in water level management. Its § March and Whittlesey IDB § March East IDB members include Internal Drainage Boards § March 5th District DC (IDBs), the Environment Agency Regional Flood th § March 6 District DC rd Defence Committees and the Northern Ireland § March 3 District DC Rivers Agency. Associate Members include § Market Weighton IDB § Messingham IDB Local Authorities, Consultants, Contractors and § Middle Fen and Mere IDB Suppliers. § Middle Level Commissioners § Mildenhall IDB § Muston and Yedingham IDB 1 Why do we need a Vision? from the Review of IDBs, detailed issues of critical mass of expertise, resilience of The flood and coastal erosion risk management organisation, financial sustainability, and (FCERM) Framework within which Internal transparent governance that should be Drainage Boards will operate in the future is considered and where appropriate addressed by likely to be significantly different from that we all IDBs by 2013. The Minister in introducing see today. New legislation in the form of the these requirements to the IDBs requested their Flood and Water Management (F&WM) Bill is consideration of all possible models for proposed as well as outcomes from the: administrative and service delivery but § Defra Review of IDBs expressed a preference for IDBs to be organised § Pitt Review on a ‘sub-catchment’ basis with a single IDB per § F&WM Bill Consultation, Section 3.1 unit. ‘Possible reforms to the role and governance of IDBs’ With these proposals and within the very robust § Water Framework Directive arrangements of IDB consortia and individual § The Flood Risk Regulations (2009) IDBs across England and Wales the IDB § Climate Change Act (2008) community is well placed to take on a locally § future Government priorities focussed, catchment wide, enhanced role as the operating authority of choice for all members of The Flood and Water Management Bill proposes Local Partnerships. that the Environment Agency will provide national overview of FCERM and Upper Tier THE VISION Local Authorities will provide Local Leadership and coordination through strong and effective Our Vision is of a future in which IDBs form a local partnership arrangements. significant contribution to the sustainable use of areas of special drainage need within England The future role played by other relevant and Wales. It will be a future in which IDBs are authorities including IDBs within this new recognised as key participants of the Defra operating environment will need to encompass FCERM community providing water level their anticipated new duties to cooperate with all management on a daily basis to the catchments other relevant authorities and to operate in a they serve. manner consistent with National and Local FRM Strategies through strong and effective local partnership arrangements. IDBs have a proven record in delivering a sustainable, efficient and cost effective service focussed on the close management of flood and water levels for both the sustaining and protection of people, property, land and infrastructure. The new arrangements provide an opportunity for the strengths of the IDB model to be fully integrated into the Partnership Vitally, it will be a future where IDBs are valued approach that will be required for delivery of the both for the roles they play in helping us deal high quality all encompassing FCERM service with some of the challenges of the 21st century, that is at the heart of the governments plans. and in improving and sustaining our quality of life. Enhancing IDB Capacity T o realise this Vision we need IDBs to: Following the Defra sponsored Review of IDBs in 2006 there was a clear acknowledgement by § be recognised as competent FCERM the Minister that the Government considered authorities IDBs to have a significant role to play in future § play a full part in local partnerships flood risk and water management delivery § have a distinct role working with other arrangements. This view was further reinforced relevant authorities within the Government’s response to Sir Michael § become ‘delivery partner’ of choice for Local Pitt’s Report on the Summer Floods of 2007. Lead Flood Authorities and partners § build capacity and adjust to deal with new The Implementation Plan for Improvements to challenges IDB Management Arrangements, which resulted § adapt in the face of climate change. 2 ROLE OF AN IDB Water level management – IDBs believe in the principles of sound water level management through the close management of water levels – in watercourses or underground (groundwater) – for the purpose of reducing the risk from flooding and for sustaining all land uses and the environment. Areas of special flood risk – Low-lying areas of England and Wales require the daily close attention of specialist local water level management bodies to actively manage and reduce the risk of flooding, and to ensure that the current land use, inhabitation and ecology is enabled to continue into the future. These are areas that the Medway Letter sought to set boundaries for in 1933; in 2009 we should be building upon this solid foundation: ‘The areas which may be brought within the limits of drainage districts are those which will derive benefit or avoid danger as the result of drainage operations’. Geographical Distribution of IDBs The Medway Letter (1933) in describing IDB (JBA Consulting) Drainage Districts. Catchment basis – Water level and flood risk management on a catchment basis should determine any strategic approach to flood risk management. This is a principle supported by the Water Framework Directive and Defra’s Future Water strategy and upheld by Internal Drainage Boards in England and Wales, Waterschappen in Holland, Consorzi di bonifica in Italy and by other water level management authorities in many other countries across Europe. I DBs will: § carefully manage water levels within their drainage districts for; § land drainage, § flood risk management, § irrigation, § and environmental benefit. § work within hydrologically defined catchments. § operate in areas of special flood risk. § be recognised as the land drainage Indicative Flood Map from Office of the Deputy authority within their Districts. Prime Minister presentation on PPS25 (2006) 3 PURPOSE IDBs cover 1.2 million hectares of England