Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Director of Place Management.

The report provides the Area Committee with details of review undertaken to understand the condition of our local rivers and the key types of pollution affecting them.

The Area Committee is recommended to consider and comment upon the report and its recommendations prior to its submissions to the Cabinet.

Officer Contact: Sue Stevenson on 0161 474 4351 or email: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Assistant Director – Legal & Democratic Governance (Monitoring Officer) submitted a report of the Director of Place Management (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Area Committee with details of a review undertaken to understand the condition of our local rivers and the key types of pollution affecting them. 

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Thanks were given to all who had worked on the report, including council officers, representatives from United Utilities, the Environment Agency, the Mersey Rivers Trust, along with local residents who had engaged with this work.

·         It was commented that the current situation in terms of the amount of sewage going into local rivers was unacceptable and must be changed.

·         The Otterspool Road sewage outflow was highlighted in terms of the number of spills that had occurred. It was noted that the council had planned to plant three woodland areas across the Borough in 2022 including a site at Otterspool, however it had not been possible to plant at this location due to poor soil quality caused by sewage.

·         The Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Environment had contacted both United Utilities and council officers in relation to the issue at the Otterspool outflow and had suggested a site visit.

·         Water pollution was a nationwide issue and it was suggested that the government needed to change the law to compel water companies to stop the practice of discharging sewage into open watercourses.

·         Proper investment was needed to quickly resolve this issue, including accessing funding streams from outside agencies. 

·         The partnership established as a result of United Utilities working closely with the council was both necessary and welcomed;

·         The need for transparency from water companies was recognised and local residents should be able to easily find and understand the number of sewage discharges into local waterways.

·         It was suggested that the Area Committee should continue to investigate and scrutinise pollution in local rivers into the forthcoming municipal year.

RESOLVED – That the report be approved for submission to Cabinet.

To consider a report of the Director of Place Management.

The report provides the Area Committee with details of review undertaken to understand the condition of our local rivers and the key types of pollution affecting them.

The Area Committee is recommended to consider and comment upon the report and its recommendations prior to its submissions to the Cabinet.

Officer Contact: Sue Stevenson on 0161 474 4351 or email: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk

The Chair reported that the final report of the scrutiny review in relation to sewage in rivers and waterways within the Werneth area was in the process of being finalised, and it was anticipated that this would be submitted to the next meeting of the area committee.

RESOLVED – That the position be noted.