Thank you for your interest in this story
To continue reading this article, subscribe to the Stray Ferret for as little as £1 a week
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
25
Jul 2023
Knaresborough councillor accuses MP of using Nidd sewage campaign as ‘political tool'
Harrogate and Knaresborough’s Conservative MP Andrew Jones has been criticised by a Liberal Democrat councillor who claimed he is using a campaign to clean up the River Nidd as a “political tool” to help him get re-elected.
But Mr Jones has fought back and said his involvement in the campaign is about him doing his job as an MP.
The issue of river pollution caused by private water companies such as Yorkshire Water — and what is being done to stop it — is expected to be one of the battlegrounds at the next general election, which must be held in the next 18 months.
Mr Jones has won four elections in a row since 2010, but the Liberal Democrats are hopeful of taking Harrogate and Knaresborough back for the first time since the days of Phil Willis, who was MP between 1997 and 2010.
Mr Jones has confirmed he will stand for a fifth time and the Lib Dems have chosen former Wakefield councillor Tom Gordon as their candidate.
Nidd campaign
There are hopes that a section of the Nidd by Knaresborough Lido will be designated bathing water status by the government so people can swim in it without falling ill.
It currently has high levels of the bacteria e-coli, a strong indicator of sewage or animal waste.
The campaign is gathering momentum and is being led by Mr Jones who secured a debate on the topic in Parliament in November.
Last week, North Yorkshire councillors of all political stripes agreed to back a motion to support the campaign, brought by Conservative councillor for Bilton and Nidd Gorge Paul Haslam, when Cllr Matt Walker raised the topic of the MP’s involvement.
Cllr Walker said:
River Nidd at Knaresborough.
In 2021, Mr Jones was one of 265 Conservative MPs who voted down a Lords amendment to the Environment Bill which would have forced water companies to reduce the amount of sewage they discharged.
Instead, MPs including Mr Jones backed a government amendment to make water companies produce plans for reducing river pollution.
This has led to criticism from opposition parties, with Cllr Walker adding:
Read more:
- River Nidd testing begins as clean-up campaign gathers pace
- Yorkshire Water discharged sewage into River Nidd 870 times in 2022
- Council backs bid for River Nidd bathing water status
In a statement sent to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Jones disputed that his involvement was political and listed the things he has done to raise awareness about the campaign, including securing the debate in Parliament, meeting with ministers about the topic and winning the support of the chief executive of Yorkshire Water.
Referring to the contentious votes in Parliament, Mr Jones said he voted for a “costed plan to reduce the operation of the Victorian storm overflows".
The MP also took aim at Cllr Walker’s own political career after he stood unsuccessfully for the Lib Dems in the Selby and Ainsty by-election last week, when he came sixth.
Mr Jones said he welcomed the support from North Yorkshire Council and added that his team and a group of volunteers had been working on collecting information for the bid.
He said:
0