The SIDB, which covers an area of 2092 hectares, lies immediately to the north of Telford and on an east west axis between Newport and Crudgington. The two main arterial channels are the River Strine and the Commission Drain which, with tributaries drain areas of Northern Telford, Lilleshall and surrounding land, Newport and Edgmond plus parts of the parishes of Tibberton, Kynnersley, Cherrington and Crudgington.
The Board, which is one of about one hundred and seventy two in England, was set up in 1952 to replace the Tern Roden and SIDB. Internal Drainage Boards owe their formal existence to the 1930's Land Drainage Act.
Currently the Board is self sufficient in that it receives all its income from the agricultural land owners/occupiers in the Board's area with nothing from the Environment Agency or Telford & Wrekin Council.
For a small area the open channel system in the IDB is relatively complicated which is in part due to the reclamation works undertaken by the Dukes of Sutherland in the 18th/19th centuries. There are three basic levels of open channel maintenance responsibility in the Strine:
- for the main river, the Environment Agency
- for nominated arterial channels, the SIDB
- for field ditches, land owners/occupiers.
The Strine undertakes maintenance every year on all its channels to remove silt which has accumulated due to the slack channel gradients. This means that any disturbance to the environment is kept to a minimum as the amount of material removed is minimal and work is not continuous leaving refuge sections.
All Strine channels discharge into the River Tern.
The SIDB is responsible for maintaining all ordinary watercourses within their boundary. Download the plan showing the extent of the SIDB area.
Under the Land Drainage Act 1991, any alterations to ordinary watercourses within their boundary will require an application for consent to the SIDB.
- Download the rules of proceedings for SIDB with the approval of the Secretary of State under paragraph 3(1) of the Second Schedule to the Land Drainage Act, 1991.
- Download the publication scheme for more information on the Strine Internal Drainage Board.
- Download the policy statement Policy Statement on Water Level and Flood Risk Management - 2019.
SIDB members
The SIDB has a managing board of seven members elected every three years and a co-opted member from Kynnersley Parish Council. As Telford & Wrekin Council is now the local lead in flood risk management a member of their Engineering team attends board meetings. For the day to day administration work the board employs a part time Clerk.
The committee of the board is currently made up of the following elected members:
- Mr Bruce Udale (Chair)
- Mr John Belcher (vice Chair)
- Mr Chris Holman
- Mr Harry Gregory
- Mr Neil Phillips
- Mr Richard Hockenhull
- Mrs Isobel Moseley
- Mr Andrew Crow.
Ms Lucinda Lycett attends as representative of the Lead Local Flood Authority for Telford & Wrekin Council.
Last updated: 10/01/2024 12:34
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