The role of a councillor is that of a volunteer who receives an allowance to help cover costs for joining in the many things that you might not consider they have to do.
One such item is that of being a member of a Drainage Board and what that entails. It may not seem a particularly exciting role but we have to bear in mind what can happen if lands are not drained properly.
Mike Jordan is vice chair of the Danvm Drainage Board which covers part of the southern area of North Yorkshire but also the area near Doncaster called Fishlakes. This is an area where some 200 houses had to be evacuated due to flooding and there is now a concerted effort of planning to ensure it doesn’t happen again. More locally Hirst Courtney flooded with some 20 plus homes affected as a consequence of the River Aire overtopping its banks. There has always been maintenance issues along it but thankfully progress is being made. At a Full Board Meeting last week we were informed that not only has all the work on the banks been done but also all the ‘outfalls’ into the River Aire have been sorted. These ‘outfalls’ allow water into the river and out of the fields but also at high tide the water now no longer backs up into the land behind the banks. This is from Knottingley to Gowdall.
This is one of a number of drainage boards in the region and Selby Drainage Board is another with again councillors working on these alongside farmers from the area.
Mike Jordan