Issue - meetings

To receive questions submitted by councillors.  

Councillors can submit up to two valid questions at each meeting and sub divided questions count towards this total.   Questions and statements received will be published as a supplement to the agenda and all questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting. 

The submissions must be emailed in full to antony.nash@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk by 8.30am on 27^th January 2025

Dorset Council Constitution – Procedure Rule 13

Question from Cllr Craig Monks

In the summer of 2024, I asked Full Council what steps were being taken to deliver on promises to clean up Dorset's rivers and seas. The Leader of the Council stated that water company representatives would be invited to meet with Councillors to discuss improving our waterways. When I followed up at Cabinet in the autumn, I was informed this work would be referred to the relevant overview committee as part of a new policy.

Having reviewed the Dorset Local Nature Recovery Strategy, I see no direct mention of a stand alone policy to improve water quality, nor are water companies listed as consultative bodies. Could the Committee clarify why there is no proposed policy to directly address water quality and with water companies being invited to work with the Council as a consultative body?

Response given by Environment/Policy/Partnership Manager and Cllr Nick Ireland

In relation to the Dorset local nature recovery strategy (LNRS):

Specifically, priority 4 focuses on rivers, streams and wetlands – it includes several activities to improve water quality for the benefit of wildlife and people, often using habitat creation/enhancement as a nature-based solution to improve water quality. Several other priorities also include activities that would benefit water quality, e.g. natural-process led conservation, nature-based solutions, sustainable farming, nature-friendly gardening, sustainable drainage systems, controlling invasive species etc 

Water companies were included in the stakeholder analysis, and the strategy highlights how every sector has a role to play in nature recovery and how the strategy can help them (see ‘who is the strategy for’ section)

Several local experts in the water environment have been included in the collaborative process so far, this is in the consultation and engagement report, including reps from:

·       Environment Agency

·       Dorset Catchment Partnerships

·       Poole Harbour and Stour catchments (hosted by Wessex Water)

·       West Dorset Rivers and Coastal Streams catchment (hosted by Dorset National Landscape)

·       Natural England - Conservation Adviser for water and wetlands

In addition to the catchment partnerships, water companies have been contacted as part of the wider engagement process

·       Regular meetings with Wessex Water around water quality and biodiversity net gain and nutrient mitigation

·       Examples of habitat creation projects to deliver water quality benefits funded by Wessex Water are included in the strategy e.g. leaky dam (p64), arable reversion.  These are often delivered in partnership with farmers and landowners.

·       Bournemouth Water/South West Water have joined the nature recovery Dorset network for their work for habitats and species in their site management plans

·       Wessex Water accepted the invitation to speak at the LNRS  farmer and landowner event on their work with farmers to deliver nature-based solutions (attended by over 120 farmers/landowners)

·       Other reps from across water environment have attended events and workshops to help shape the strategy e.g. water companies, catchment partnerships and Catchment Sensitive Farming advisors.

·       We have mapping from the rivers trust as part of the LNRS mapping and this will be available to all

During the next steps in the LNRS consultation process we’ll be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36