Internal Drainage Boards
Grant Aid
Defra grant aids IDB flood risk management capital improvement projects at a rate of 45% (from 1 April 2001). However special rates are available for works to implement water level management plans in certain sites, ie 80% in internationally important conservation areas (SPAs, SACs and Ramsar sites), 50% in areas of national importance (other Special Sites of Scientific Interest or SSSIs) and 100% for some identified priority Sites of Special Scientific Interest. This is in recognition of the fact that IDBs are partly funded by private landowners while the works in question provide benefits nationally. The balance of IDBs' costs of work after grant (and local authority special levies) has to be met by local agricultural drainage ratepayers whereas the capital expenditure of the Environment Agency and local authorities is largely met from the public purse. The actual grant aiding process for IDB projects is operated by the Environment Agency.
Page last
modified: 10 December 2007
Page published: 10 December 2007