Cleddau Petition Update
There’s been a lot going on at the Cleddau Project. Here is its latest information on the petition started in December…
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The Cleddau Project says: “James Harrison-Allen started a petition in December, calling on Pembrokeshire County Council [PCC] to create and enact a Clean Rivers Policy to restore the Cleddau to good health. It turned out to be the biggest petition ever submitted to PCC and went to a full council meeting on 5 March. The public gallery was rammed with supporters.
“James delivered a punchy critique of the state of the Cleddau and the council’s lack of engagement to date. His opening speech struck a powerful note. Deputy leader Cllr Paul Miller listed various ongoing river-related initiatives currently undertaken by PCC and stated that PCC is absolutely committed to playing a full part in efforts to improve the health of the Cleddau.
“There followed contributions from councillors, all building a sense that things have to change and PCC needs to get more involved. Jayne and Caitlin Etherington’s powerful story of E coli poisoning was read out and introduced a sobering note to the session. Natural Resources Wales came in for much criticism, as did Welsh Water, but this petition demands that PCC drives the cultural change required to champion the Cleddau directly from County Hall.
“There was a unanimous vote to take the Cleddau issue to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting in June to review what’s already happening and to consider how PCC can scale up its involvement. James has been invited to contribute to this. It’s a first step and the Cleddau Project must ensure that the outrage expressed in the chamber results in actions.
“Thank you to everyone for making this happen.”
