Ripon City Council is asking residents to register their interest in attending a public meeting with Yorkshire Water next month, amid continuing concerns about sewage discharges into local rivers.
Representatives from Yorkshire Water are due to attend the council’s Full Council meeting on Monday, 9 November, at 6pm to discuss river pollution and the company’s plans for local infrastructure improvements.
The company will be represented by its Corporate Affairs Manager and a River Health Team Manager. Their attendance follows a unanimous resolution by councillors in September calling on Yorkshire Water to stop discharging sewage into local rivers and inviting its chief executive to explain what action would be taken.
Council asks residents to register interest
The meeting would normally take place at Ripon Town Hall, but a fire safety capacity limit imposed by North Yorkshire Council restricts attendance to 60 people, including councillors and staff.
The council is gauging public interest to determine whether a larger venue is needed.
Residents who may wish to attend are asked to email admin@riponcity.gov.uk, indicating how many people might come along.
Expressions of interest are not bookings, and residents do not have to register in order to attend the public meeting. The information will help the council make suitable arrangements.
Questions over £1.5 million storm overflow scheme
The meeting comes amid renewed scrutiny of Yorkshire Water’s £1.5 million scheme at the Clock Tower storm overflow in Ripon.
Previous reporting highlighted the company’s acknowledgement that the scheme had not achieved the reduction in discharges originally expected. Yorkshire Water has said it is investigating further projects in Ripon as part of its wider investment programme.
The meeting will give councillors an opportunity to question the company about the performance of local infrastructure, planned improvements and when residents might expect to see results.
Mayor welcomes public participation
The Mayor of Ripon, Cllr Andrew Williams, said the council welcomed residents attending its meetings, particularly when environmental issues were being discussed.
Cllr Andrew Williams, Mayor of Ripon:
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 encouraged to email admin@riponcity.gov.uk as soon as possible, stating how many people may come along.
The confirmed venue and meeting agenda are due to be publicised on 4 November, ahead of the meeting on 9 November, and will be available on the Ripon City Council website.