Councillors in Calderdale will devise a plan to clean up the UK’s second most polluted waterway.
Amid national concern over the discharge of sewage into rivers and beaches, Calderdale Council agreed that a review group would consider the local authority’s role in reducing pollution in the River Calder.
Former Halifax MP Holly Lynch raised the issue of severe pollution in the Calder with Yorkshire Water in 2021.
At a ‘scrutiny in a day’ session this summer, councillors will seek to better understand the responsibilities of the council and other bodies, such as water companies and the Environment Agency, in keeping Calderdale’s rivers clean.
They will also consider the council’s legislative powers regarding unlawful discharges and set out what needs to be done to ensure the Calder and its tributaries become cleaner and free of pollutants.
