Defra has confirmed the Goole and Airmyn Internal Drainage Board (IDB) reconstitution through the Goole and Airmyn Internal Drainage Board (Reconstitution) Order 2026 (SI 2026/178). The instrument was made on 26 February 2026 and comes into force on 27 February 2026. It extends to England and Wales, but applies to England only.
Under section 3 of the Land Drainage Act 1991, the Environment Agency prepared a scheme dealing with membership and electoral arrangements and submitted it for ministerial confirmation. The Secretary of State published a notice of intent in line with paragraph 2 of Schedule 3 to the 1991 Act, notified relevant local authorities and other specified bodies, received no objections, and confirmed the scheme with modifications.
From commencement, the Board is reconstituted to comprise six elected members. For transition, the first cohort of elected members will be appointed by the Secretary of State and will hold office until the expiry of one year from the first occurrence of 1 November following the day of their appointment. Thereafter, elections proceed under Schedule 1 to the 1991 Act and any regulations made under it, with “elected members” defined to include those initially appointed under this scheme.
The Goole and Airmyn Internal Drainage District is consolidated into a single electoral division. Paragraph 6 of the 1968 Order, which divided the district into three electoral divisions, accordingly ceases to have effect. The district boundary is unchanged. A map of the boundary as one electoral division is available for inspection at the Environment Agency’s office at Foss House, 1–2 Peasholme Green, York, YO1 7PX, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
All property, rights and obligations of the Board immediately before reconstitution transfer to the reconstituted Board on commencement. This preserves continuity for contracts, drainage operations, financial records and liabilities, avoiding any break in legal personality or service delivery.
The Order updates governance of a body first constituted by the Yorkshire Ouse and Hull River Authority (Goole and Airmyn Internal Drainage District) Order 1968 (SI 1968/513) and reconstituted by the 1970 Order (SI 1970/253). The present instrument modernises membership and electoral arrangements while maintaining the district as previously constituted.
For ratepayers, landowners and occupiers, the practical change is representation: elected seats reduce from twelve to six and elections will now be run for a single electoral division. Any appointments by charging authorities remain governed by Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Land Drainage Act 1991, which determines numbers by reference to the balance between drainage rates and special levies.
The instrument was signed on 26 February 2026 by William Harrington, Head of Rural Flood Risk at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, by authority of the Secretary of State. The Explanatory Note confirms no full impact assessment has been produced, as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.