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ARCHIVE: Internal Drainage Board review

June 2009 - Project Board progress report (PDF 15KB)

April 2009 - draft Floods and Water Management Bill published.

22 May 2008 - Letter from the Project Board on the production of Biodiversity Action Plans:

  • Letter (PDF 49KB) to all IDBs
  • Guidance (PDF 736KB) on producing the Biodiversity Action Plans
  • Biodiversity Action Plan template (Word document 363KB) for completion by all IDBs
  • A list (PDF 28KB) of Regional Biodiversity Action Plan co-ordinators has been made available to provide advice and contact for local biodiversity partners
  • Maps showing the BAP priority habitats known to exist within an IDB’s district have been sent to Boards as added assistance in the production of plans. Some districts do not have BAP priority habitat recorded and thus will not have a map. If your board has not received a map and you think one may be available you can contact us at Defra, Area 2D, Flood Management Division, Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 2AL.

6 February 2008 - The then Minister of State for the Environment, wrote (PDF 30KB) to all Internal Drainage Boards asking them to start discussions on moving to sub-catchment boards. The following material explains the rationale and decisions behind the Minister's letter:

        • Briefing note (PDF 95KB)
        • Annex 1 (PDF 85KB) - Indicative requirements for IDBs
        • Annex 2 (PDF 27KB) - Area and income of sub-catchment boards

        The attached (PDF 109KB) Project Board progress report, produced to accompany the Minister's letter, provides an update on the progress with the implementation plan as a whole and provides revised dates for some specific strands.Previous Project Board progress reports can be viewed here:

        The following maps show the project board's proposed sub-catchments for future management of IDB areas:

        Background

        A review of Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) was announced in June 2005 when the then Minister of State (Environment and Climate Change), wrote to IDB Chairmen advising them that Defra intended to engage consultants who, in consultation with the Environment Agency (EA), Association of Drainage Authorities (ADA) and others, would advise on the present IDB arrangements and how well each IDB fits into a broad model of how IDBs should be operating in the present day.

        In August 2005, Defra appointed JBA Consulting to undertake an independent review of Internal Drainage Boards. The consultants were asked to make recommendations on suitable organisational arrangements that would ensure boards are efficient, accountable and representative of the interests of both drainage ratepayers and wider interests in delivering their flood management and other responsibilities, and to assess existing boards against these.

        JBA Consulting undertook a detailed consultation within the sector including the IDBs themselves, Defra, EA, English Nature (now Natural England), the RSPB, the rate and levy payers and their representative organisations (National Farmers Union, Country Land and Business Association and the Local Government Association (LGA)), and all the other stakeholders who have a direct or indirect interest in water level and flood management in IDB districts. Following substantial consultation and analysis, JBA Consulting submitted their report to Defra on 28 February 2006.

        JBA Report

        Accompanying Maps

        1. Geographical distribution of boards (PDF 628KB)
        2. Board Administration (PDF 632KB)
        3. Office Locations (PDF 635KB)
        4. Annual Income (PDF 637KB)
        5. Proportion Dependent on Pumping (PDF 634KB)
        6. Boards with Priority SSSIs (PDF 636KB)

        Internal Drainage Board Review Implementation Plan

        Following detailed consideration by the IDB Review Project Board (comprising officials from Defra, ADA, Environment Agency and LGA), a detailed implementation plan has been drawn up for action. A number of individual IDBs as well as Natural England and RSPB have also contributed to the Project Board in a wider advisory capacity, and their input has been welcomed. Ministers have approved the following package of documents to be sent to all IDBs and written to them as per the attached letter (PDF 785KB).

        Page last modified: 22 May 2010
        Page published: 14 March 2006