12
Oct
Feisty public meeting expected in Ripon after Yorkshire Water agrees to defend record
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Ripon City Council is considering whether to hold its next full meeting at a larger venue after Yorkshire Water agreed to defend its sewage record.
Last month the council invited Yorkshire Water chief executive Nicola Shaw to explain why the company pumps sewage into local rivers.
The Stray Ferret has reported widely on this issue. You can read our initial coverage here, followed by Yorkshire Water’s response here and an investigation into recent local sewage discharges here.
Yorkshire Water has now agreed to send its corporate affairs manager and a river health team manager to the next full city council meeting on November 9. However, Ms Shaw, who is paid about £1.3 million, will not attend.
The discussion will provide an opportunity for councillors to seek answers about Yorkshire Water’s local performance and planned improvements.
The council usually meets in Ripon Town Hall, which is subject to a fire safety capacity limit set by North Yorkshire Council of 60 people, including councillors and staff
It is therefore urging residents to say whether they plan to attend, in case a bigger venue is needed.
Clock tower concerns
The meeting comes amid renewed scrutiny of Yorkshire Water’s £1.5 million scheme at the clock tower storm overflow in Ripon. We reported last week that the company had acknowledged the scheme has not delivered the reduction in discharges expected.
Cllr Andrew Williams, the Mayor of Ripon who leads the controlling Independent Putting Ripon Before Party Politics group on the city council, said:
All of our full council and committee meetings are open to the public, and we are always pleased to welcome residents to hear and question the work we are doing and the progress we are making. That is particularly true of environmental matters, from pushing for the removal of the car from the River Ure to pressing for improvements to the health of our rivers.
We welcome Yorkshire Water’s attendance and the opportunity to hear about its plans, ask questions and discuss how improvements can be delivered for Ripon.
We may need a bigger venue for this meeting, so we would appreciate an indication of how many people are interested in coming along. If you think you might attend, please drop the council an email.
Residents considering attending are asked to email admin@riponcity.gov.uk as soon as possible, giving the number of people who may come along.
The confirmed venue and meeting agenda will be publicised on the November 4, ahead of the meeting on November 9 and will be displayed on the council’s website here.
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