Middle Level Act 2018

2018 CHAPTER ii

An Act to amend and update the powers of the Middle Level Commissioners to regulate navigation on the Middle Level of the Fens in the city of Peterborough and the counties of Cambridgeshire and Norfolk; to make further provision as to the regulation of navigation on those waterways; to make other provision as to the Commissioners; and for connected purposes.

[1st November 2018]

WHEREAS—

(1)

An Act of Parliament passed in the fiftieth year of the reign of His Majesty King George the Third, entitled “An Act for improving the Drainage of certain Lands within the North and South-west Parts of the Middle Level, Part of the Great Level of the Fens commonly called Bedford Level” established a body of Commissioners (“the Middle Level Drainage Commissioners”) with power and jurisdiction to improve the drainage of the rivers, drains, lands and grounds described in that Act:

(2)

The functions of the Middle Level Drainage Commissioners were amended by an Act of Parliament passed in the seventh and eighth year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, entitled “An Act for improving the Drainage and Navigation of the Middle Level of the Fens”, and by the Middle Level Drainage Amendment Act 1848:

(3)

The Middle Level Act 1862 reconstituted the Middle Level Drainage Commissioners as commissioners of drainage and navigation, to be known as the Middle Level Commissioners, and transferred to them various functions relating to navigation in the waterways of the Middle Level from the Middle Level Drainage Commissioners:

(4)

Further amendments to the functions of the Middle Level Commissioners were made by the Middle Level Act 1867 and the Middle Level Act 1874:

(5)

It is expedient that provision should now be made for the Middle Level Commissioners’ powers to regulate navigation to be updated:

(6)

It is expedient for further powers to be conferred on the Middle Level Commissioners to regulate other activities affecting the use of the waterways for navigation:

(7)

It is expedient that the Middle Level Commissioners should be empowered to levy charges in respect of vessels using the waterways:

(8)

It is expedient that the Middle Level Commissioners should be empowered to make provision requiring the registration of vessels using the waterways:

(9)

It is expedient that revised provision should be made in relation to the auditing of the Middle Level Commissioners’ accounts:

(10)

It is expedient that the other provisions contained in this Act should be enacted:

(11)

The objects of this Act cannot be attained without the authority of Parliament:

May it therefore please your Majesty that it may be enacted, and be it enacted, by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:―