Board membership and elections
Drainage Boards comprise members that are both elected and appointed to the Board.
Elections for the places or seats on the Board are carried out in two phases. Firstly nominations for the seats are required and if there are more candidates nominated than seats available then a poll must take place.
Nominations can only be accepted from ratepayers for ratepayers in that electoral district of that Board. There are also minimum land ownership or land occupation requirements to qualify for nomination. Only the payers of agricultural drainage rates are eligible to vote. Ratepayers will have between 1 and 10 votes to cast for each seat depending on the size of their land holding or occupation. Other members of the public living in the area are not eligible to vote and their interests are represented by the appointed members placed on the Board by the local District Council.
The Lower Axe and the Lower Brue District Drainage Boards were constituted in 1881 under the 1877 Somersetshire Drainage Act and it is this act that uses the word 'District' in the name. It is also under this act that elections must be called annually with the Annual General Meeting being held in September.
The Lower Axe Board is constituted to have 16 elected members but there are no electoral districts and a 'first past the post' system is operation across the whole Board area. In addition 20 appointed members can be nominated to the Board by the District Councils that fund the Special Levy contribution to the Boards costs. Currently (July 2010) there are 2 appointed members.
The Lower Brue Board is constituted to have 21 elected members but there are no electoral districts and a 'first past the post' system is operation across the whole Board area. In addition 22 appointed members can be nominated to the Board by the District Councils that fund the Special Levy contribution to the Boards costs. Currently (July 2010) there are 2 appointed members.
The Parrett Internal Drainage Board was constituted in 2005 under the Land Drainage Act 1991. It is constituted to have 23 elected members from 13 electoral districts. In addition 24 appointed members can be nominated to the Board by the District Councils that fund the Special Levy contribution to the Boards costs. Currently (July 2010) there are 22 appointed members.
Elections to the Parrett Board take place on a three yearly cycle in the November of that year. The next election will be in November 2012.
If you are an agricultural ratepayer and would like more details of the election process or becoming an elected member please contact the Clerk of your drainage Board.
Appointed members
Appointed members are a relatively recent addition to the make up 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. However this cost to the District Council is reduced by partial reimbursement received from central government through the revenue support grant.
To be equitable and as there is usually more than one District 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 and anyone with knowledge or experience of matters relating to the functioning of a board can be nominated, although it must be done through a District Council.
If you have an interest in becoming an appointed member please contact the Clerk of your local drainage board.
