Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee
Agenda Item 7
Subject: Southern Water Investment: Response to Notice of Motion
Date of meeting: 13 July 2022
Report of: Executive Director, Governance, People & Resources
Contact Officer: Name: Giles Rossington
Tel: 01273 295514
Email: giles.rossington@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Ward(s) affected: All
1.1 At the 18 January 2022 Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee (ETS), a Notice of Motion on Southern Water Investment was agreed and referred to the HOSC. The Notice of Motion requested that the Chief Executive of Southern Water be asked to a future HOSC meeting to answer member questions on the discharge of sewerage into waterways.
2.1 That the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee notes the contents of this report.
3.1 ETS Committee considered and approved a Green NoM at its 18 January 2022 meeting (see Appendix 1 for the agreed NoM text, and Appendix 2 for an extract of the ETS minutes from this meeting). The NoM was concerned with the discharge of untreated sewerage into rivers and the sea. One of the measures agreed was that the BHCC Chief Executive should invite the CEO of Southern Water to a meeting of Health Overview Scrutiny Committee to explain recent actions and to discuss workable ways forward to improve water quality.
3.2 The BHCC CE subsequently wrote to the CEO of Southern Water who accepted the invitation to attend a HOSC meeting. Unfortunately, Ian McCauley, the CEO of Southern Water has recently resigned his post, and his replacement was unable to attend the July 2022 HOSC. Dr Toby Willison, Chief Environment & Sustainability Officer, will instead represent Southern Water, alongside Dr Nick Mills, Head of the Storm Overflow Task Force.
4.1 Not relevant to this report for noting.
5.1 None undertaken
6.1 Members are asked to note that a representative of Southern Water has agreed to attend the July 2020 HOSC meeting to answer questions about the discharge of untreated sewerage into rivers and the sea, in accordance with the Notice of Motion agreed at January 2022 ETS committee.
7.1 Not relevant to this report for noting.
8.1 There are no legal implications to this report.
Name of lawyer consulted: Elizabeth Culbert Date consulted (01/07/22)
9.1 None identified for this report to note.
10.1 None directly for this report to note. However, members may wish to explore with Southern Water the environmental impacts of the discharge of untreated sewerage into waterways.
Public health implications:
11.1 Members may wish to explore with Southern Water the public health implications of the discharge of untreated sewerage into waterways: e.g. in terms of the potential health impacts on swimmers and others using rivers or the sea for sport and leisure.
Supporting Documentation
1. The agreed Notice of Motion from January 2022 ETS committee.
2. An extract of the minutes from January 2022 ETS committee.