To note the contents of the report.

The panel considered a report on a resident scrutiny suggestion titled Pollution of the River Thames.

Chris Joyce introduced the report and said that water quality was a matter for the Environment Agency. The council worked closely with the Environment Agency and said that the report was directly linked to bathing sites within the Thames. He said that to his knowledge there were no designated bathing sites within the Thames, anywhere throughout the borough.

Councillor Baldwin asked if it were possible to bring members of the Environment Agency then he would support this as the river ran throughout the whole borough and touched many people’s lives. He endorsed co-operating with them.

Councillor Davey implored for the Environment Agency to be invited to discuss this with the panel. He said that the borough should be able to reassure the residents that the river was safe and that he had received lots of representations discussing the murkiness of the water for example.

Councillor Brar also agreed and stated that she had brought a motion forward to Full Council previously regarding this, however it was voted down. She said that there were issues in the Marlow and Bourne End area with regards to the sewage plant.

Councillor Walters also agreed that it would be great to bring them to address the panel.

Councillor Taylor acknowledged Bray Lake as being an area which could affect residents here, so agreed with other Councillors that the Environment Agency should address the panel.

Councillor Luxton asked for clarity over the point that Councillor Brar had made with regards to sewage. Councillors Brar and Singh confirmed this. Councillor Luxton said that officers should surely be aware of these issues. Councillor Brar confirmed that they had been aware for years.

Councillor Singh said that within his ward of St Marys, the water that ran through it was very murky and that it would be good to bring the Environment Agency to the panel to reassure residents and to give them some insight. He also acknowledged that it was a national issue.

Councillor Davey read out an email that had been received from Councillor Larcombe with regards to the Wraysbury Drain. His statement was as follows, “Had I been present I would have suggested that the Committee looked again at the condition of and expenditure on the Wraysbury Drain which has not been fit for purpose for many years.  Recent further expenditure of over £13,000 had resulted in insignificant improvement.  This was not good use of public money.  As a lead local flood authority, RBWM had continually failed to use its available enforcement powers.  Furthermore, there were no pre-works or post-works reports.  His view was that riparian owners should bear a variable proportion of RBWM costs associated with ordinary watercourse maintenance.” These were the words of Councillor Larcombe read out on his behalf by Councillor Davey.

Councillor Sharpe said that he believed this to be a national issue and that companies were being permitted to emit waste into rivers during emergency situations. He implored the Lead Member to write a letter to The Rt Hon George Eustice MP.

Councillor Brar said that writing a letter to the Environment Agency was the motion that she had already put forward to Full Council and that it had been voted down by the administration.

Councillor Taylor said that she agreed with Councillor Sharpe but believed that the panel should do both options to reassure residents.

The Chairman then gave his oversight of the issue having listened to the discussions. The Slough sewage treatment pushed treated sewage into a waterway which then pushed water into the Thames. He reiterated that this was treated sewage. He added that the only time that untreated sewage would be allowed out would be when a storm or a heavy water flow would occur, which would be classed as an emergency. This was all monitored and was kept regularly up to date with findings and results. This knowledge had been obtained from the Chairman from his attendance at the Eton Wick and the Waterways Association meetings.

Chris Joyce wanted to make it clear that the Environment Agency could be invited by the panel to attend a future meeting, however this was completely up to them and that they were not obliged to do so. Scope and detail would also need to be formulated by the panel before inviting them.

Chris Joyce also wanted to reassure residents that the speculative comments made by some members about untreated sewage being pumped into the Thames, were not factual and urged caution until facts and figures had been obtained.

The clerk noted that Councillor Stimson had her hand raised virtually. The Chairman invited her to speak. Councillor Baldwin then raised a point of order and admitted that it had been a while since he had last been a panel member on an overview and scrutiny panel but was concerned at this request to speak. He stated that non-panel members must have notified the Head of Governance in writing to be able to address the panel. Councillor Stimson declined to speak and said that Chris Joyce had covered all of her points.

Councillor Davey asked if a vote needed to take place on whether the Environment Agency should be brought before the panel or not. This was not the case as the panel were happy for officers to help draw up a specification with members to propose to the Environment Agency. This would be discussed as an item for future meetings within the work programme section.