Letter to Internal Drainage Boards
24 June 2005
To all IDB Chairmen in England and Wales
From the Office of the Minister of State for
Climate Change & Environment
Elliot Morley MP
Internal Drainage Boards and Flood Risk Management Delivery
As you know, since announcing the conclusions of the flood defence funding review in 2003 we have taken forward a number of changes to how the flood risk management service is delivered. We are also now taking forward Making Space for Water, our new strategy for coastal erosion and flood risk management. I am writing to you to set out the Government's vision of how internal drainage boards (IDBs) fit within these processes and the contribution they can make to shaping the future of flood risk management delivery.
Before doing so, I want to record my appreciation for the work that IDBs undertake in land drainage districts. I am sure that some boards feel constantly under scrutiny, and that their role in providing an important flood risk management service is undervalued. I am, however, very aware that boards provide a highly valuable service to their local community and it will be vital for them to continue to do so in the future. I am also greatly encouraged by the work undertaken by some boards to amalgamate and enter consortia arrangements, thus improving their efficiency and effectiveness.
I know that some IDBs were initially concerned about the little reference to their work in the strategy consultation. I understand this concern and I have met with Association of Drainage Authorities (ADA) officials to discuss this; but I hope that our response to the consultation exercise will reassure boards that they will have an important role in shaping our future direction. The strategy is very much concerned with taking a strategic and holistic approach to managing flood risk in order to better deliver sustainable development. It is therefore important that the boards engage in this process - for example in developing the Catchment Flood Management Plan and Shoreline Management Plan processes where it impacts on them. The strategy is of course about working with natural processes where possible. We want to emphasise that flood risk management and the environment are part of the same agenda, and that the focus of our work is on maximising economic, social and environmental benefits through our flood risk management policies.
You will be aware that Defra intend shortly to engage consultants who, in consultation with the Environment Agency, 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. We expect the consultants to make recommendations on issues such as IDB membership and structures, openness and accessibility, stakeholder engagement, including with those who pay special levies and agricultural drainage rates, access to specialist advice (including on environmental issues) as well as whether individual boards would benefit from changed management arrangements. The agreed recommendations following this study would feed into the new targets that we plan from April 2006.
I am pleased that ADA have contributed to work on drafting the parameters for this review. There is no hidden agenda to this study: indeed I would expect the consultants to work closely with ADA, individual boards and others to ensure we develop a model which will best allow boards to continue to offer a first class service in the current policy context.
IDBs are uniquely placed to provide a valuable input into the future development of flood risk management policy and practice and I look forward to working with you on shaping future delivery.
[signed]
ELLIOT MORLEY
[Please note, the report from the study mentioned above was published on Defra's website on 14 March 2006.]
Page last
modified: 14 March 2006
Page published: 19 July 2005