Newsletter April 2021

An Introductory Message from the Chairmen

Despite the limitations and constraints imposed as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Chairmen are pleased to announce a successful year in managing flood risk and land drainage within the Boards’ Districts, with minimal impact ont he delivery of the Board’s operational and administrative outputs.

All activities of the Somerset Drainage Boards Consortium (SDBC) (now consisting of the Axe Brue, Parrett and North Somerset Levels Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs)) are being actively managed through the Bradbury House Office at Highbridge and, whilst most of the Office Staff remain predominantly working remotely, all field Staff (Area Managers, Expenditors and Rhyne Supervisors) remain operational, fully accessible and deployed on a day-to-day basis around all of the Boards’ Districts.The Boards of the SDBC to continue to have an important role to play in flood and water level management, both supporting Lead Local Flood Authorities and delivering on its wider responsibilities for Land Drainage and, as a Public Body, striving to deliver those activities in the most efficient and cost effective manner for the Rate Payers and Local Authorities. As part of the continuing drive for improvements and efficiencies, as of 01 Apr 21 following a full and strategic Review of Plant, Machinery & Manpower, all the Boards of the Consortium have agreed to a fully shared resource model that will improve resilience of the workforce, drive towards common ‘ways-of-working’ through common policy and procedures across all Boards, leading to better transparency and delivering efficiencies in the way in which the Consortium delivers its Flood Risk and Land Drainage responsibilities in the future.

The IDBs are funded primarily through the attraction of Special Levy and Drainage Rates. The ‘Penny-Rate’ set each year is a direct result of the correlation of income needing to be received as a result of the expenditure required to deliver the Boards’ responsibilities. Whilst Special Levy is sought directly through the Local Authorities via Council Tax payments, the Drainage Rates require landowner payments in-line and proportional with their land holdings to be paid in a timely manner each year. This last Financial Year, especially with the limitations imposed by the COVID restrictions, has seen a much welcome and significant increase in the use of the automated Direct Debit System. An increase in the timely payment of Drainage Rates demands allows the Boards to deliver their essential planned Flood Risk and Land Drainage activities in-year.

It should be stressed that if anyone disagrees with the validity of a Drainage Rates Demand or encounters any difficulty in meeting their Drainage Rates payment, a call to the Board’s Offices to discuss the issue will always be looked upon favourably and with compassion. Failure to respond in any way to Drainage Rate Demands following reasonable opportunity will always be looked upon negatively and invoke a subsequent challenge though the Courts.

With the current COVID-19 limitations generally requiring increased reliance and dependency on Information Technology, it is fully recognised that the Boards’ Website is not the most ‘user-friendly’ in which to seek and exploit information on the activities of the Boards. It is hoped that within the next few months, the Board’s Website will be refreshed to enable a clearer and more accessible platform in which to seek Flood Risk and Land Drainage information.

Finally, the North Somerset Levels IDB will be electing a new Board this year, to take-up Office in Nov 21. The IDBs are always keen to utilize the fresh and innovative thoughts of the younger generation of Landowners in order to keep the operations and thinking of the Boards up-to-date and challenged. Details of the Election Process for new Elected Membership will be issued in due course but anyone wishing to seek more details on what is involved in becoming a Member of the North Somerset IDB specifically, or any other Board of the Consortium, either now or in the future, please do not hesitate to speak with the Clerk or Deputy Clerk via the Board’s Office (see details below). Following a recent resignation of an Axe Brue Member, there will also be a requirement to seek a replacement through the formal election of a ‘Westhay to Glastonbury’ representative. Election details will be sent out shortly to all those eligible landowners within the District.

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