Memorandum submitted by The Witham First
and Third District Drainage Boards (FL 155)
Whilst I am well aware that the deadline for
submission of evidence has long gone, I have been informed that
your Committee will be visiting Lincoln on 30 January to take
further oral evidence. I sincerely hope that you might find time
to take evidence from myself and possibly explore suggestions
to improve the current situation.
I have 35 years experience in the public sector,
33 of which have been involved in drainage. Initially in County
Highways, followed by a short spell with a Borough Council prior
to ten years with a Water Authority before taking up my current
post as Clerk/Chief Executive to two Drainage Boards covering
100,000 hectares of rural and urban areas of mid Lincolnshire.
I represent the County's Drainage Boards on
the Resilience Forum; am Founder, and remain Hon Sec, of Lincolnshire
Clerks Society; Employers Side Secretary of the Pay and Conditions
Committee; a former Branch Secretary and was Strategic Commander
and organiser of ADA 2000, which is still widely recognised as
the best ever trade exhibition of its kind in Europe.
I currently sit as a Member of a DEFRA pilot
on integrated drainage. I regularly contribute articles to the
ADA Gazette and enclose a copy of the most recent article which
will explain why I missed the deadline for submission of evidence.[61]
Out of the working environment I am Chairman
of my local parish, which was hit by the 2007 floods, and have
experienced the frustrations regularly expressed in media interviews.
I would venture to suggest that whilst many
of this summer's experiences may not have been preventable, the
public perception of isolation, confusion and sheer lack of accountability
could be addressed. However, in order to improve the current situation
it is vital to understand how we got into this position-the history.
Whilst not perfect, responsibility for land
drainage prior to 1974 rested with local authorities and, in the
areas of greatest need, drainage boards, all overseen by the River
Catchment Boards, who had responsibility for adopted main rivers.
Each organisation had their own drainage engineers.
The creation of the Water Authorities in 1975
resulted in water supply, sewerage and drainage becoming encompassed
in one authority. However, the Highways Authorities retained their
Highway drainage powers and local authorities retained permissive
powers to oversee drainage within their districts. However, the
local authority engineers transferred to the Water Authorities,
consequently, there was no technical expertise. The drainage boards
remained as the only organisation with experience and capability.
The Water Authorities invested heavily in water
supply and sewerage but drainage was the "Cinderella"
service and it came as no surprise when privatisation was mooted
in 1987 that a new organisation, the National Rivers Authority,
was created to rid the water companies of responsibility for main
rivers. However, the water companies retained urban surface water
sewers, many of them combined sewers.
The National Rivers Authority did become a very
focused organisation and years of neglect of the rivers systems
were beginning to be rectified until the government of the day
decided that the boast of "biggest environment body in Europe"
would be achieved by encompassing the NRA's 6,000 staff into a
newly-formed Environment Agency. The Agency have powers over all
drainage matters in England and Wales but over the years have
exerted a continual centralisation policy, diluting local influence
and control; reducing maintenance funds for frustrated local engineers
and becoming aloof and distant.
Throughout the changes, Drainage Boards have
remained, evolving into more professional units providing local
schemes using local money, controlled by local politicians and
farmers to become more efficient, effective, transparent and accountable.
I propose that your Committee considers the
creation of Drainage Boards throughout the nation, based in river
catchments, with Members drawn from the local authorities and
electors within each catchment, to co-ordinate and oversee all
flood and drainage related matters. This can be quite easily achieved
using existing legislation at relatively little cost.
I suggest that the Boards be provided with additional
powers to address the lack of investment in urban drainage schemes
with the eventual return of all surface water into the public
sector.
I trust that you will consider my proposals
and find a little time to allow me to expand upon my thoughts.
The Witham First and Third District Drainage Boards
December 2007
61 Not printed. Back
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