Part IE+W Introductory

Water authoritiesE+W

1—3.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1E+W

4, 5.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2E+W

Internal drainage boardsE+W

6, 7.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3E+W

Main rivers and their controlE+W

8, 9.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F4E+W

Transfers of functions and reorganisation of internal drainage districtsE+W

10—13.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F5E+W

Review of boundaries, supervision and exercise of functions in defaultE+W

14—16.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F6E+W

Part IIE+W Powers of Drainage Authorities

Carrying out drainage works, etc.E+W

17—19.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F7E+W

Drainage works concerning more than one drainage authorityE+W

20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F8E+W

21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F9E+W

Arrangements with other persons and powers as respects the obligations and rights of other personsE+W

22—27.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F10E+W

Control of obstructions in and structures in, over or under watercoursesE+W

28, 29.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F11E+W

Schemes for drainage of small areasE+W

30, 31.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F12E+W

Flood warning systemsE+W

32. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F13E+W

Incidental powersE+W

33—39.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F14E+W

Part IIIE+W Restoration and Improvement of Ditches

40—44.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F15E+W

Part IVE+W Raising of Revenue by Drainage Authorities

Power of water authorities to require payment of their land drainage expenses by local authoritiesE+W

45—47.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F16E+W

Power of water authorities to raise drainage chargesE+W

48— 51.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F17E+W

Supplementary provisions as to drainage chargesE+W

52— 61.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F18E+W

Alternative basis for financing drainage expenses of water authoritiesE+W

62. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F19E+W

Power of internal drainage boards to raise drainage ratesE+W

63, 64.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F20E+W

65, 66.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F21E+W

67—69.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F22E+W

70. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F23E+W

Supplementary provisions as to drainage ratesE+W

71, 72.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F24E+W

73. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F25E+W

74—79.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F26E+W

80

(1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F27

(2)—(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F28

81. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F29E+W

82, 83.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F30E+W

Miscellaneous revenue-raising powersE+W

84—88.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F31E+W

Interpretation of Part IVE+W

89. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F32E+W

Part VE+W Powers of the Minister and Local Authorities

Powers of the MinisterE+W

90—96.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F33E+W

Powers of local authoritiesE+W

97—100.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F34E+W

101. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F35E+W

102—104A.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F36E+W

Part VIE+W Miscellaneous and General

105 Provisions relating to London.E+W

Schedule 5 to this Act, which contains provisions relating to London, shall have effect.

106—115.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F37E+W

116 Interpretation.E+W

(1)In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• “drainage” includes defence against water (including sea water), irrigation, other than spray irrigation, and warping;

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• “land” includes water and any interests in land or water and any easement or right in, to, or over land or water;

• “land drainage” means the drainage of land and the provision of flood warning systems, and “land drainage functions” shall be construed accordingly;

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• [F39“London excluded area” means so much of Greater London and of any area adjoining Greater London as did not on 31st March 1986 lie, for the purpose of the exercise of land drainage functions, within the area of any water authority;]

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

117 Transitional provisions, consequential amendments, repeals and saving.E+W

(1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F40

(2)The enactments mentioned in Schedule 7 to this Act shall in consequence of this Act, be amended as there provided.

(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F40

(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F41

118 Short title, commencement and extent.E+W

(1)This Act may be cited as the Land Drainage Act 1976.

(2)This Act shall come into force immediately after the coming into force of the M1Land Drainage (Amendment) Act 1976.

(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F42, this Act extends to England and Wales only.

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 1-4E+W . . . F43

Section 105.

SCHEDULE 5E+W Provisions Relating to London

InterpretationE+W

1(1)In this Act, subject to any order under sub-paragraph (2) below, “the metropolitan watercourses” means—E+W

(a)so much of the river Thames as lies within the London excluded area, including all its associated watercourses within the flow and re-flow of its tides in that area;

(b)the watercourses shown marked in red on the signed plan as defined in and for the purposes of Part II (Alteration of Kent River Authority area and London excluded area) of the M2Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1968;

(c)the river Ravensbourne, the Chaffinch Brook, the Beck River, the Pool River, the Quaggy River, the Kid Brook, the Kyd Brook and the Lower Kid Brook, and their associated watercourses;

(d)the Beverley Brook, the river Graveney, the Pyl Brook and the river Wandle, and their associated watercourses;

(e)the river Brent, the river Crane and the Duke of Northumberland’s river, and their associated watercourses;

(f)any watercourse that immediately before the commencement of this Act was a metropolitan watercourse by virtue of an order under paragraph 15(2) of Schedule 14 to the M3London Government Act 1963;

and . . . F44

(2) The [F45Secretary of State] may, after consultation with . . . F46 the council of any district or London borough appearing to him to be affected, by order provide that—

(a)the whole or any part of a watercourse within the London excluded area shall become a metropolitan watercourse; or

(b)the whole or any part of a watercourse other than the tidal Thames shall cease to be a metropolitan watercourse; or

(c)the whole or any part of a metropolitan watercourse shall become or cease to be a main metropolitan watercourse;

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F46

(3) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any enactment or instrument, no part of any of the metropolitan watercourses shall be or form part of a public sewer.

2E+WIn this Schedule—

• “associated watercourse”, in relation to any river, means a tributary or other watercourse the water from which ultimately flows into, or which is directly or indirectly connected with, that river;

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F47;

• “flood works”, in relation to the tidal Thames, has the same meaning as in the local enactments relating thereto;

• “the former county of London” means the area constituted by the county of London as it existed immediately before the passing of the M4London Government Act 1963 (under which the said county ceased to exist);

• “local enactment” means—

(a)in relation to any watercourse falling within paragraph 1(1)(a) above, the Thames River (Prevention of Floods) Acts 1879 to 1962 and section 14 of the M5London County Council (General Powers) Act 1932;

(b)-(f). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F47

• “the tidal Thames” means the watercourses falling within paragraph 1(1)(a) above;

• “watercourse” includes all rivers and streams and all ditches, drains, cuts, culverts, dykes, sluices, sewers and passages through which water flows;

• and any mention of a particular river shall not be construed as prejudicing the meaning of the expression “associated watercourse”.

General provision with respect to the London excluded areaE+W

3(1), (2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F48E+W

(3) Part III of the M6Surrey County Council Act 1925 shall not apply to any area outside the London excluded area.

Functions of the Greater London Council with respect to the metropolitan watercoursesE+W

4(1)Subject to paragraph 6 below, and to any provision made by an order under section 84 or 87 of the M7London Government Act 1963—E+W

(a). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F49

(b)the local enactments relating to so much of the tidal Thames as lies within the former county of London shall apply to the whole of the tidal Thames (as defined for the purposes of this Schedule), and in those enactments references to, or which are to be taken as references to, the county of London shall be construed as references to the London excluded area;

(c)no functions relating to the drainage of land, flood prevention and the like matters shall (subject to paragraph 6 below) be exercisable with respect to the tidal Thames by any authority under any local statutory provisions other than the enactments mentioned in sub-paragraph (b) above.

(2) In sub-paragraph (1)(c) above “local statutory provisions” means provisions of a local Act (including an Act confirming a provisional order) or provisions of a public general Act passed with respect only to the whole or part of the former county of London or provisions of an instrument made under any such local or public general Act or of an instrument in the nature of a local enactment made under any other Act.

5E+WSubject to section 21 of the M8Metropolis Management (Thames River Prevention of Floods) Amendment Act 1879 [F50the power of the Thames Water Authority] under the said Act of 1879 and the other enactments relating to the tidal Thames to approve, require the execution of and execute flood works for the protection of land from flooding by the river Thames in the London excluded area shall be exercisable by them for the protection of land from flooding by such of the river’s associated watercourses as immediately before 1st April 1974 lay within the flow and re-flow of its tides in the Lee catchment area.

6E+WParagraph 4 . . . F51(b) above and so much of paragraph 2 above as relates to paragraph 4 . . . F51(b) above shall not be construed as extending or restricting the application of any of the local enactments relating to the tidal Thames to property for the time being held for the purposes of their undertaking by the Port of London Authority or as extending or restricting the functions of that Authority.

General provision with respect to the Greater London Council and the Thames Water AuthorityE+W

7E+W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F52

8—11.E+W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F53

SCHEDULE 6E+W . . . F54

Section 117(2).

SCHEDULE 7E+W CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS

M9 The Water Act 1973E+W

1E+W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F55

Other ActsE+W

2E+W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F56

3E+WIn paragraph 1(3) of Part III of Schedule 9 to the M10 London Government Act 1963 for “Section 31(2) of the Land Drainage Act 1930” substitute “Section 29(1) of the Land Drainage Act 1976”.

4E+W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F57

5E+WIn section 3(9) of the M11 New Forest Act 1964 for “any drainage authority as defined by the Land Drainage Act 1930” substitute “any drainage body as defined by the Land Drainage Act 1976”.

6E+W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F58

7E+W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F59

8E+W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F60

SCHEDULE 8E+W . . . F61