Drainage Board Membership & Elections
Drainage Boards are independent local public authorities that manage water levels and flood risk where there is a special need for drainage. In Somerset this mainly comprises the area of the Somerset Levels and Moors and the North Somerset levels.
Drainage Boards are governed by a board of Elected and Appointed Members who meet on a regular basis to decide funding, set policy direction, and oversee the work of staff and contractors. If you would like to understand more about the role and work of an Internal Drainage Board (IDB) then please have a look at the publication “An introduction to Internal Drainage Boards”
Board Membership
The current membership of the Boards can be found by clicking the relevant board name below.
Axe Brue Internal Drainage Board (Chair - position currently vacant)
Parrett Internal Drainage Board (Chair Tony Bradford)
North Somerset Levels Internal Drainage Board (Chair Tim Bush)
Clerk for all boards: Iain Sturdy
Elected Members
Every three years an IDB is required by law to hold elections to decide who will become an elected member of the Board. The Axe Brue IDB and the Parrett IDB held elections in 2022. The next ones will be in 2025. The North Somerset Levels IDB held elections in 2024 so the next election will be in 2027.
The North Somerset Levels has up to 14 elected members but only one electoral district which encompasses the entire district.
If you have an interest in becoming a Board Member, please look at the electoral district maps below to see where you might be able to secure nomination and support.
Axe Brue Electoral District map
Parrett Electoral District map
The process starts in early September when nomination forms are made available to any prospective candidate who must themselves occupy a minimum area of land in the electoral district or must be nominated by a person or organisation that owns and occupies a minimum area of land in the electoral district where the candidate wishes to stand.
A full copy of the requirements for qualification are available here. Depending on the number of valid nominations that are received for each electoral district a poll may be held in late October.
Only persons or organisations with agricultural land or agricultural buildings are able to vote in a Board election however larger land holdings are provided with an increased number of votes up to a maximum of 10. An Electoral Register is operated by the Board which shows the number of votes that every elector is entitled to. The Register is available for inspection by appointment in the Boards’ offices in Highbridge.
Members of the public who live in the area but do not hold or own agricultural land or agricultural buildings are not eligible to vote as their interests are represented by the Appointed Members who are placed on the Board by the local District Council.
If you would like further information about becoming a member, please contact the Drainage Board office on 01278 789906.
Appointed Members
Appointed members are a relatively recent addition to the makeup of Drainage Boards. Their inclusion followed the 1991 Land Drainage Act and their function is to represent the interests of the householders whose contribution to the costs of a Drainage Board is paid indirectly through their Council Tax payment. This overall payment from the District Council to the Board is termed the Special Levy.
To be equitable, and as there can be more than one Council contributing to the cost of the Special Levy, each council is allowed to nominate appointed members in proportion to their fraction of the overall cost of the Special Levy.
Qualification to be an appointed member is not restricted to Councillors; anyone with knowledge and experience of matters relating to the functioning of a Board can be nominated, although it must be done through a Council.
If you have an interest in becoming an appointed member please contact the Clerk of your local Drainage Board.