Agenda item
Motion A: Thames Water Sewage 'Task Force' - Proposed by Councillor Lysette Nicholls, Seconded by Councillor Thomas Ashby.
Council notes the concerns from members of this Council, and members of public in the continuing of dumping of sewage into our local rivers by Thames Water.
This Council notes the work so far of the administration to hold Thames Water to account.
Given the continued concerns from residents across West Oxfordshire, this Council Resolves to request the Leader to:
- Set up a cross party task force to be established to work with campaigners in helping to hold Thames Water to account;
- Ensure the new task force meets at least once every quarter;
- Ensure the Executive Member for Environment chairs the new group.
Minutes:
Councillor Lysette Nicholls introduced the motion, which sought to highlight concerns from Members of the Council, and Members of Public regarding the continued dumping of sewage into local rivers by Thames Water. The motion also requested that Council set up and establish a cross party task force to work with campaigners in helping to hold Thames Water to account.
Councillor Alaric Smith rose to propose and introduce an amendment to the motion, which had been circulated in advance. The amendment sought to note concerns from Members of the Council, and Members of Public about the continued dumping of sewage into local rivers by Thames Water. The proposed amendment would also note that Council regretted a lack of action by Central Government to ensure proper regulatory oversight and control of the sector.
Councillor Alaric Smith thanked Councillor Nicholls for proposing the original Motion to Council, and for their work in bringing attention to the subject matter. Councillor Alaric Smith further highlighted that the Council supported the work so far of the administration to do what it can to put right this wrong and to hold Thames Water to account.
In the debate of the amended motion, Members highlighted a lack of action by Government in maintaining oversight of ongoing problems related to the dumping of sewage into local rivers. Members said that opportunities to address the matter had, in the round, been missed. Members referred to a Petition presented to Council in 2020, and said that in the ensuing period since the presentation, work to address issues had subsided and the overall problem had become worse.
Members made reference to meetings that had already taken place with Thames Water, and with the “Windrush Against Sewage Pollution (WASP)” action group, which had focused on the treatment of sewage, and the infrastructure in place to deal with the treatment works. Reference was also made to “Waterways Day” events held in the West Oxfordshire District in 2022 and 2023 which highlighted the subject matter, and the Executive Member for the Environment thanked Members who had engaged with the events.
Opposition group members expressed their disappointment regarding the amended motion, stating that it would potentially discourage cross-party efforts to make significant progress in holding Thames Water to account, and sought clarity from the administration as to when tangible progress on reducing the sewage discharge would be recognised.
Members highlighted that work between central government, both previous and current, and the regulators had significantly attributed to the problems that were faced regarding the subject matter, and that the amended motion would seek to strengthen the resolve of efforts to curtail the discharge of sewage into the mainstream water network. Attention was also drawn to problems experienced at local ‘hotspots’ and sewage treatment works, which Members stated drew more attention to the overall subject matter. Members further highlighted that sewage discharge posed significant health and biodiversity risks to the wider population of the district and beyond, and that inaction to tackle the problems in the round, gave the wrong impression to residents that Members represented.
Attention was also drawn by members to historical problems surrounding privatisation of water companies, with aged debt and a lack of governance being a contributing factor to a continuation of failure to stop the discharge of raw sewage into the water networks. Members drew attention the wider environmental impacts of the subject matter, and said that the situation would not improve unless significant action were to be taken in addressing the problems faced.
Members praised work that had previously been undertaken by the Council in addressing the subject matter, and highlighted that more needed to be done, both on a local and national scale, regarding engagement and seeking meaningful solutions to solve the problems experienced. Members stated that the amended motion would help to assist the Council to make more robust decisions on planning applications, particularly on the imposition of Grampian conditions, and using Thames Water as a statutory consultee for Planning applications.
Members of the opposition group highlighted that the original motion would bring about a cross-party consensus to tackle problems regarding the subject matter, rather than bringing a political divisiveness to the debate. Members agreed that more work could be undertaken to address the issues faced by the discharge of sewage into rivers, and that it was imperative to work together, rather than seek political gain.
Several Members also drew attention to a lack of action by the Member of Parliament for Witney and West Oxfordshire in addressing the issues faced regarding sewage discharge and called for more meaningful action in the future. Members encouraged each other to make representations to the Member of Parliament for Witney and West Oxfordshire so that more robust, cross-party engagement could take place.
In seconding the amended motion, Councillor Duncan Enright highlighted that many members had made significant contributions to the wider debate on the subject matter, and stated that whilst some contributions were politically charged, it showed the strength of feeling surrounding the issues of sewage discharge both locally and nationally. Councillor Enright acknowledged a clear desire to work together but highlighted that it should be done in the right way. Councillor Enright also paid tribute to Councillor Lidia Arciszewska, Executive Member for the Environment, for her work in helping to address the issue.
Councillor Nicholls in exercising a right of reply stated that the original motion was not designed to seek political division, and sought to bring Council together to make meaningful representations to Thames Water and provide strong, stable solutions to tackling the problems faced by discharging sewage into local rivers. Councillor Nicholls also described and drew Council’s attention problems faced by residents as a result of inaction of preventing sewage blockages and discharges into mainstream water networks. Councillor Nicholls reiterated the desire to create a Task Force to work on a cross-party basis to address the issues at hand and hold Thames Water to account, stating that the amended motion would hamper the opportunity to do so.
In summing up the debate on the amended motion, Councillor Alaric Smith thanked Members for their contributions to the debate on the amended motion and highlighted a clear need for more meaningful action to address the issues being faced. Councillor Smith stated that residents were paying the price for mismanagement and indebtedness of the water industry in the round since the late 1980s, and that it was imperative of elected representatives to help address such issues. Councillor Smith highlighted an intention by the original motion to seek political divide, adding that it was not the time to seek division, but it was the right time to come together and enhance work currently ongoing.
Having been proposed, seconded and debated, and the amendment was put to a vote. There were 29 votes in favour, and 15 votes against, and 2 abstentions. The amendment was carried.
In debating the original motion as amended, Members highlighted that there was a clear need to have an inclusive work ethic to help address problems pertaining to sewage discharge, and that consistent, constructive engagement was in the best interest of residents.
The substantive motion was put to a vote. There were 45 votes in favour, no votes against and 1 abstention. The vote was carried.
Council Resolved to pass the following Motion:
Council notes the concerns from members of this Council, and members of public in the continued dumping of sewage into our local rivers by Thames Water. This Council regrets the lack of action on the part of the Government to ensure proper regulatory oversight and control of the sector.
The Council supports the work so far of the administration to do what it can to put right this wrong and to hold Thames Water to account. Given the continued concerns from residents across West Oxfordshire, this Council Resolves to request the Leader to:
1. Continue with the regular Executive-led meetings, supported by Officers, with Thames Water to ensure appropriate investment is made in the system in West Oxfordshire;
2. Ensure the meetings take place at least once every quarter;
3. Ensure the Executive Member for Environment reports back to Overview & Scrutiny and to full Council on a regular basis.
Supporting documents:
PDF 41 KB