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| Early
times |
Flood
defence goes back a long way. Nearly 2,000 years ago, the
Romans carried out major river and coastal defence
works.
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17th
century
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Early
defences were built for the benefit of individuals, large
landowners or investment groups (the “adventurers” of 17th
century fen drainage).
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18th
century
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By
the 18th century, many towns and much agricultural land were
defended. Funding for the upkeep of defences was levied on
those who benefitted - town inhabitants and landowners,
including the church, for the most part - but there is much
evidence that floods were often caused through the neglect
of maintenance of defences.
Supervision
was by Commissioners of Sewers, first appointed in 1258, with
direct authority from the Crown. Appointment of Commissioners
was piecemeal and disorganised and there was no continuity
of effort and policy. Funds were difficult to collect
and there was endless scope for litigation, with many arguing
the cost of repairs far exceeded the value of defended property.
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1861
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The
first of a series of Land Drainage Acts was passed. Although
the Act established elected Land Drainage Boards, it failed
to rationalise systems leaving authority with Sewer Commissioners
much as before. At the turn of the century, there were close
to 300 separate Commissioners.
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1907
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The
Royal Commission on Coastal Erosion called for a more
modern system of coastal defence. In its final report in 1911,
the Commission agreed the administrative system was in
chaos – with too many organisations, confusing powers
and duties, no policy, co-ordination or enforcement, opposing
interests and conflict and no redress for inefficiency.
The
Commission called for a central authority taking a wide view
of the coast and independent of local interest. But no action
was taken and sea defences continued to be organised on piecemeal
and arbitrary lines.
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1920
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The
Land Drainage Board Act of 1920 created local land drainage
Boards
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1930
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A
milestone of sorts was reached with the Land Drainage Act
of1930. Resulting largely from devastating floods in
January 1928, the Act was the first to recognise the wider
benefits of flood defence to the community and the nation.
It aimed to widen the financial net to the nation at large
and to make central funds available.
The
Act also recognised the importance of monitoring the actions
of the various responsible authorities, and created Catchment
Boards with a general duty to oversee all flood defence matters.
The intentions were good but, in reality, little was done
for the coast. Chaos reigned and dual responsibility with
Land Drainage Boards meant little was achieved.
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1948
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Under
the River Boards Act 1948, the old Catchment Boards were replaced
by River Boards with added responsibilities for water and
fisheries management, pollution etc. Land drainage and flood
defence, previously isolated by legislation and practice,
were being drawn into a more integrated approach, but there
was still no central chain of command.
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1950
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Some
rationalisation came with the Land Drainage and Coast Protection
Act of 1950, which transferred the duties of the local drainage
boards to the River Boards. But the
1950 Act was very imprecisely defined, and responsibilities
continued to be split many ways, between River Boards, local
authorities, harbour authorities, government departments,
private companies and individuals.
On
the River Thames, for example, a complex patchwork of authorities
existed, including the Port of London, Borough Councils, Commissioners
of Sewers, local authorities and Conservancy and Catchment
Boards, and the Essex and Kent River Boards.
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