Drainage Council appointments

Drainage Council appointments

21 May 2025

TWO local councillors have been appointed to the Drainage Council.

Stormont infrastructure minister Liz Kimmins has rubber-stamped the appointments of Downpatrick councillor Philip Campbell and Rowallane’s Callum Bowsie.

The duo have been appointed for a four-year term.

Cllr Campbell has been a member of Newry, Mourne and Down Council since 2023 and is currently a member of the local authority’s Planning and the Active Healthy Communities Committees. 

He is a nominated member of the South Eastern Health Trust’s Area Integrated Partnership Board and a Trustee of the River Quoile Trust.

Cllr Bowsie has been an elected representative for three years and is a member of the local authority’s Strategic, Policy and Resources and Audit Committees.

In addition, he is President of Crossgar Historical Society and has a keen interest in local heritage and environmental issues affecting old settlements and the countryside.

Six new appointments in total have been made to the Drainage Council, with Ms Kimmins delighted to confirm the new members.

“The Drainage Council performs the hugely important scrutiny function of our drainage and flood defences and I am confident that these appointments will maintain the high standard of work set by previous members,” she added.

The Drainage Council performs a general scrutiny role in relation to the DfI’s  drainage functions and has a statutory duty to ensure uniformity of treatment on drainage issues. 

This includes overseeing the impartial and consistent application of drainage and flood defence works, and, designating watercourses and sea defences for maintenance at public expense.