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Internal Drainage Boards are autonomous public bodies under the direct control of the board members, varying in size from a few hundred hectares to tens of thousands of hectares depending on the size of the drainage district. They are statutory bodies set up to manage water levels in a defined district for the benefit of land managers, householders and industry in that area. They are funded by agricultural occupiers through a rate and local authorities through a levy. "PURPOSE IDBs cover 1.2 million hectares of England (9.7% of England’s total land area) and 28,500 hectares of Wales (1.4% of Wales’ total land area), 90% of the indicative flood map zone 3 for England and Wales. 24 of the county councils in England include one or more IDB in their area as do six metropolitan districts, and 109 unitary authorities or district councils. IDBs are geographically concentrated in the Broads, Fens in East Anglia and Lincolnshire, Somerset Levels, Kent, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire covering growth areas such as the Thames Gateway and Milton Keynes, and existing developed areas of the Thames gateway, East Midlands and Humber Estuary. Their 570 staff operate and maintain over 500 pumping stations, 22,000 km of watercourse, 174 automatic weed screen cleaners and have a part in providing flood risk management to 879,000 properties. They also have responsibilities associated with 398 Sites of Special Scientific Interest plus other designated environmental areas. IDB Districts include the majority of England and Wales’ highest grade agricultural land, urban areas providing 879,000 homes, industries of national importance and much of UK’s critical infrastructure, including; 20 oil refineries and power stations, 68 other major industrial premises and 208 km of motorway. This essential and critical IDB activity must continue alongside and complimentary to any new role." taken from 'A Vision for Internal Drainage Boards in England and Wales' The Association of Drainage Authorities (ADA) |
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