Agenda item

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The Assistant Director, Operations and Commercial Services explained that Panel had asked for an agenda item seeking a position statement on the current Bathing Water Classifications for the beaches in West Norfolk, and an update on the actions that had been taken by members/officers specifically around the ‘Poor’ classification of the beach at Heacham and the resultant guidance to visitors that bathing was not advised.

Members were informed that the bathing season ran from May to September, whilst the formal classification would not be known until the spring when all of the seasonal sampling will have been completed allowing Members the opportunity to review the bacteriological results for the 2023 season in comparison to those taken in previous years.   It was highlighted that water quality was regularly checked during the season.

It was noted that the beaches at Heacham, Hunstanton Main and Old Hunstanton were designated bathing breaches within West Norfolk, they were 3 of 424 designated bathing waters:

The Panel was informed that the pollution risk forecasts did not include notifications of storm overflow operations as a method to consistently assess the impact of spills to bathing waters had not yet been developed.  Water companies each had their own system to inform bathers when their storm overflows operated, which provided additional information on water quality for the public.

The Assistant Director, Operations and Commercial Services advised that in West Norfolk, the daily Pollution Risk Forecast was received by the Resort Operations Team and the Borough’s CCTV Control Room.  Should an ‘advice against bathing’ be issued for that day  the duty CCTV Operator would trigger an update of the electronic signs at Heacham (North and South Beaches) and in Hunstanton (on The Green and by the Beach Patrol Station on the promenade).

The Chair invited Councillor Squire, Portfolio Holder for Environment to address the Panel.  The Portfolio Holder advised that she had attending a recent tour of the treatment works at Heacham.  Work had been ongoing over a number of years with the Environment Agency, Anglian Water and other partners including the Borough Council.  The Portfolio Holder explained that she was a member of the LGA Water Quality Group and added that she was pleased with the water quality and welcomed the continuation of work.

The Leader, Councillor Parish provided an overview of the two Ward Councillors involvement over the past 7 years and that recently the Environment Agency had additional funding to carry out further testing to move towards identifying the problem.

Under Standing Order 34, Councillor Colwell address the Panel and informed those present that he had also participated in the recent tour to Heacham Treatment Works.  Reference was made to the AWA Management would be available in 2025 and added that he hoped West Norfolk would  be allocated sufficient funding to look at the coastline and make improvements.  Councillor Colwell also stated that it was not acceptable for the bathing water quality not to be a standard for swimmers during the summer holidays.  Councillor Colwell outlined his concerns regarding the bathing water quality and stated he was pleased that additional funding had been made available for the Environment Agency to undertake further testing.

The Assistant Director responded to comments by Councillor Colwell in relation to the notification (daily updates) on the standards of bathing water, the information being received by the CCTV control room and the signs on the beaches being updated.

Councillor Long commented that the issue had been looked at over a number of years and there was no definite answer on what the cause was.

The Chair, Councillor Dark advised the Panel of the joint working between Councillor Parish and himself over the years.  It was noted that there was a handful of beaches in the country that were experiencing the same issues as the Council.

RESOLVED:  1) That the report was noted and the work of members/officers over many years was acknowledged.

2) That officers from the Environment Agency (EA) and Anglian Water (AWA) be invited to attend the Panel’s meeting in November.