1. This Order may be cited as the Amalgamation of the South Gloucestershire and West Gloucestershire Internal Drainage Districts Order 2000 and shall, unless subject to special parliamentary procedure, come into force on the date of its confirmation by the Minister, in accordance with paragraph 5(1) of Schedule 3 to the 1991 Act.

2. The scheme is hereby confirmed.

3. The expenses of the Minister in connection with the making and confirmation of this Order shall be borne by the Environment Agency.

SCHEDULE

Scheme submitted by the Environment Agency

1. This Scheme shall come into force one month after the date of confirmation of the Order confirming this Scheme.

2. In this Scheme unless the context otherwise requires:—

“The South Gloucestershire Internal Drainage Board” means the internal drainage board constituted by the Scheme confirmed by the River Severn Catchment Board (South Gloucestershire Internal Drainage District) Order 1936 (1936 No. 1035) and “the South Gloucestershire Internal Drainage District” means the internal drainage district constituted by that Scheme, as reconstituted by the Scheme confirmed by the National Rivers Authority (Severn-Trent Region) (Reconstitution of South Gloucestershire Internal Drainage Board) Order 1992 (1993 No. 451) .

“The West Gloucestershire Internal Drainage Board” means the internal drainage board constituted by the Scheme confirmed by the River Severn Catchment Board (West Gloucestershire Internal Drainage District) Order 1935 (1935 No. 1310) and “the West Gloucestershire Internal Drainage District” means the internal drainage district constituted by that Scheme.

(i) 3. The South Gloucestershire Internal Drainage Board and the West Gloucestershire Internal Drainage Board (hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Abolished Boards”) shall be abolished;

(ii) 3. The South Gloucestershire Internal Drainage District and the West Gloucestershire Internal Drainage District shall be amalgamated into, and shall constitute, one internal drainage district which shall be known as “the Lower Severn Internal Drainage District” (hereinafter referred to as “the Internal Drainage District”);

(iii) 3. There shall be constituted for the Internal Drainage District an internal drainage board to be known as “the Lower Severn Internal Drainage Board” (hereinafter referred to as “the Internal Drainage Board”).

4. The Internal Drainage Board shall consist of 13 elected members.

5. From the date of coming into force of the Scheme there shall be transferred to and be vested in or fall to be discharged by the Internal Drainage Board all such rights, powers, duties, obligations, liabilities and property (including in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of that expression, all books of account, other books, deeds, maps, papers, and other documents) as immediately before the date of coming into force of the Scheme were vested in or fell to be discharged by the Abolished Boards of either of them including (but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing) all powers vested in or to be discharged by them under or by virtue of any local Act or Order made under statutory authority.

6. All arrears of rates made before the date of coming into force of the Scheme in respect of any land within the Internal Drainage District by the Abolished Boards or either of them, in respect of any periods ending before the coming into force of this Scheme, may be recovered by the Internal Drainage Board in the same manner as if they had been rates made by the Internal Drainage Board.

7. All property and liabilities transferred to the Internal Drainage Board under paragraph 5 of this Scheme in respect of which immediately before such transfer some part only of the Internal Drainage District was entitled to receive the benefit or was liable shall, as to any income or expenditure arising therefrom (whether of a capital or of a revenue nature), be applied to the benefit of or, as the case may be, be a charge upon the rates levied only upon that part or parts of the Internal Drainage District; provided that the Internal Drainage Board may, subject to the approval of the Environment Agency, apply the value of the property and charge the liabilities transferred under this Scheme to or upon the whole of the Internal Drainage District or such part of parts thereof and in such manner as they from time to time think fair.

8. As respects any matter transferred under this Scheme, the Scheme shall operate as conclusive evidence of the transfer without the necessity of any further assignment, conveyance or deed of transfer whatsoever.

9. The accounts of each of the Abolished Boards shall be made up to the date of coming into force of this Scheme and copies thereof forthwith sent to the Internal Drainage Board and such accounts shall be audited in like manner and be subject to the like incidents and consequences as if this Scheme had not come into force.

In witness whereof the Common Seal of the Environment Agency was hereunto affixed in the presence of:— Dated 28th day of July 2000

R.C. Navaro

Confirmation of Order

Whereas the foregoing Order has been published by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (“the Minister”) in accordance with paragraph 4 of Schedule 3 to the Land Drainage Act 1991 ;

And whereas no memorial relating to the Order has been presented to the Minister;

Now therefore the Minister in accordance with paragraph 5(1) of Schedule 3 to the said Act hereby confirms the said Order.

In witness whereon the Official Seal of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is hereunto affixed on 1 March 2001.

J. R. Park

Assistant Secretary