IWAC : Inland Waterways Advisory Council

Our Work

Click on the questions below to find more about the IWAC's work. You can close the answer down again by clicking the question again.

What is IWAC?

IWAC is an independent statutory body created on 1 April 2007 to provide advice to UK Government, Scottish Government, navigation authorities and other interested parties on all matters it considers appropriate and relevant to Britain's inland waterways.

IWAC was established by the Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006 and is supported by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Scottish Government. It is the successor body to the Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council created in 1968 under the Transport Act which gave advice on the amenity and recreational use of canals and rivers managed by British Waterways.

What is IWAC's statutory remit?

IWAC's role is to ensure that the waterways are sustainably developed to meet the needs of all who enjoy them. Once used mainly for freight transport, the waterways are now largely devoted to recreation and amenity use. They are an effective catalyst for the regeneration of local economies acting as a focus to bring economic, social and environmental benefits to cities, towns and rural communities.

In England and Wales, IWAC's remit covers all of the inland waterways:

  • canals (including those managed by British Waterways, canal companies, local authorities and smaller independent bodies);
  • rivers (including those which are the responsibility of the Environment Agency, British Waterways and port authorities);
  • the Norfolk & Suffolk Broads, and
  • the navigable drains of the Fens.

In Scotland, IWAC's remit covers the inland waterways which are owned or managed by, or which receive technical advice or assistance from, British Waterways.

IWAC's other statutory functions include provision for it to be consulted on proposed orders:

  1. under Schedule 13 to the Transport Act 1968 for changing the status or maintenance obligations of BW waterways;
  2. under Schedule 1 to the British Waterways Act 1983 for additions to BW's undertaking;
  3. under regulations under the Transport and Works Act 1992 for works on BW waterways; and
  4. under Schedule 2 of the British Waterways Act 1995.

Responsibility for operating and planning the operation of the inland waterways rests with the relevant navigation authority, within the limits of any policies and approvals set by Government. The largest navigation authorities are British Waterways, the Environment Agency and the Broads Authority.

DEFRA and the Scottish Government seek to involve IWAC at an early stage in developing Government policy on the inland waterways.

What is the make-up of the Council?

The Council currently consists of 15 Members with a wide range of backgrounds from around Britain, plus a Chair, John Edmonds, with two staff. Two Council members are appointed by Scottish Ministers. The remainder are appointed by the Minister for Marine, Landscape and Rural Affairs, Defra. All are unpaid but are able to reclaim out of pocket expenses and allowances for loss of remunerative time. Appointments are initially for three years, and Ministers can re-appoint for a further three years.

How are members appointed?

The appointment of IWAC members has to be carried out under the Code laid down by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The Commissioner is independent of the Government, and the purpose of the Code is to ensure that both candidates and the public can have complete confidence in the appointment system. One requirement for example is that the political activity, where appropriate, and the biographical details of all candidates is listed and made available to any interested party.

Members are appointed with backgrounds in areas relevant to IWAC's work such as angling, boating and boating issues, commerce/business, countryside, ecology, heritage, leisure and tourism, leisure for the disabled, and planning and regeneration but are expected to contribute to Council matters in the round, to bring fresh ideas to discussions and to think strategically and practically. Particularly valuable is the ability to relate personal experience gained elsewhere to waterway issues.

The appointment process is governed by the principle of public appointment based on merit with independent assessment and transparency of process. Candidates may come from a wide range of background and experience, although the successful candidates will need to have a proven track record in one of the areas outlined above. Ministers are keen to see applications from both women and men, from a variety of age groups, from people with disabilities and those with diverse social and economic backgrounds including members of ethnic minority communities.

How does IWAC work?

There are usually 4 Council meetings a year, in various waterway-related locations throughout the country. Items for the agendas can arise from a variety of sources including individual Council Members, DEFRA, the Scottish Government and the National Assembly for Wales, navigation authorities, waterway societies and the IWAC office. The Council also establishes working groups and sub-committees of Members and outside interests to investigate specific issues and progress policy development.

Since 1993, successive Governments asked IWAC's predecessor for specific advice on issues such as restoration, regeneration, how to widen the base of customers using the waterways, how to balance delicate conservation needs with increasing usage and how the waterways could do more to promote social inclusion.

Further reports have followed.

What recent reports has IWAC produced?

Please visit our Published Reports section.

What is the future work programme?
  • Research into the benefits of the inland waterways (in partnership with Defra)
  • Reports on:
    • effective waterways partnerships;
    • volunteering and inland waterways - how to attract, integrate and retain volunteers;
    • green travel and inland waterways;
    • public funding options for inland waterways in England & Wales;
  • Monitoring of:
    • inland waterway use at the London Olympics site.