Groups

The internal Drainage Board Review, Project Board considered that Stand-Alone Boards with an annual income of less than £500,000 may well have difficulty in carrying out all of their responsibilities effectively. This is not an absolute requirement, but with income below this level, existing Stand-Alone IDBs should seriously consider whether they can truly perform the functions and responsibilities expected of them.
The Project Board did not, however, recommend a minimum level of income for independent boards within groups or consortia. This was based on the recognition that there are wide differences between upland boards, ribbon valley boards and fenland boards with a varying degree of gravity and pumped districts.

Amalgamations are considered to be beneficial – on what basis?

Experience has shown that large, stand-alone boards, and the recent moves to encouraging smaller boards into groups or consortia, was the ideal way to share expertise to provide improved standards of delivery.

It is also expected that through amalgamations, the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity, particularly outside the boundaries of Sites of Special Scientific Interest, can be better integrated into IDB planning and work programmes.
Not only are increased biodiversity and conservation enhancement statutory responsibilities, but the element of government funding provided via Rate Support Grant to the special levy should be recognised as support for achieving these objectives together with ensuring land use is sustainable. Many IDBs are still constrained by their small size and resulting lack of capacity to respond effectively to these responsibilities and duties, even if willing.

Is Defra saying that even if within a group a board must have income of £500,000?

We reaffirm that the £500,000 income threshold is a robust indicator of whether a Standalone Board or Grouping/Consortia would have the required management and technical capacity to meet the future engineering and environmental requirements. However, we also suggest that all Groups/Consortia and Standalone Boards should be compatible with the model of catchment management. Groups can manage more than one sub-catchment or parts of a sub-catchment.

It has been said that by 2013 a single Board should be operative in the sub catchment

It is proposed that the new sub catchment boards should be in place by 1st April 2013 to take account of existing contractual arrangements. Internal Drainage Boards are encouraged to start working together in the proposed sub-catchment units in the short term, and commence discussions on how these new arrangements will work into the future.

Loss of local knowledge

For Boards concerned about losing local input into their expanded Board area following an amalgamation, we suggest that local areas hold bi-annual ‘surgeries’ in the regions/old board areas, with one representative from each region either on the Board (as a voting member) or regularly attending to inform the Board of specific issues in their respective areas.

If one IDB for Middle Level – say 15 members what about the loss of the 30 + boards – say 300 + members?

The process of amalgamation is a way of sharing expertise to provide improved standards of delivery, whilst utilising levy generated public funding to best effect.

We would encourage all Internal Drainage Boards to fully consider the proposals for sub-catchment units and if you would like a better understanding of the efficiency savings that could be made from creating larger units, we would suggest that it may be appropriate to discuss with other Boards which have already been through similar changes.

Would it not be feasible to create a Great Fen IDB.

If the process of creating a Great Fen IDB seeks to increase biodiversity and conservation enhancement, whilst improving standards of delivery, it is certainly something that could be considered.  Suggest that the detail of this is discussed with the Environment Agency as they will be aware of the detail of the Great Fen Project.   Even if an IDB is amalgamated for specific environmental reasons, it is still essential that they have the capability and the capacity to meet all other obligations of an IDB, including completing asset management, and internal audit requirements, demonstrating value for money etc.

The Board's catchment area of generally low lying fertile fenland comprises in total some 8000 hectares, and the drainage is served by fourteen pumping stations at various locations, situated to best serve individual catchment areas, which are, in most cases, isolated from each other by physical barriers or,as in other situations, where there are no such divisions and various benefits may be available from interconnection, semi-connected by leading drain systems.

The next election is in 2009

The Board meet at the Town Hall Whittlesey in March, June and November.

The next Board meeting is to be held on Tuesday 3th March at the Town Hall, Market Street, Whittlesey at 2.30pm

The Board have a Finance and General Purposes Committee that meet as and when required.  The next scheduled meeting is tobe held on 25/02/09 at 09.00hrs at Engine Farm, Wisbech Rd, Coates.