Changes are set to be introduced to bathing water quality warnings in Scarborough’s South Bay due to pressure from local campaigners.
The Environment Agency’s current classification of Scarborough South Bay’s bathing water quality is ‘poor’ and signs at the beach advise against bathing.
However, North Yorkshire Council has agreed “amended wording” to the warning notices on the beach following pressure from the Sons of Neptune campaign group.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands this will reflect the context of improvements to sewerage infrastructure.
It comes as concerns have been raised about the impact of bathing water quality warnings on tourism and Scarborough’s visitor economy.
Freddie Drabble, leader of the campaign group Sons of Neptune, had been urging the authority to amend its beachside signage to reflect changes such as “huge improvements carried out by McCains at a cost in the region of £25m”.
He told the LDRS: “The corner is now turned at last for improving bathing water quality in the South Bay.”
According to Chris Bourne, the council’s head of harbours and coastal infrastructure, the necessary statutory signage is “very tightly regulated, right down to the EA providing us with a ‘sign generator’ tool that ensures [we] manufacture the correct signage with the correct wording”.
Mr Bourne noted that the general description “may be amended if the bathing water profile has been updated to reflect any local changes, such as improvements to sewerage infrastructure”.
NYC had been liaising with the Environment Agency and DEFRA to “agree if any suitable additional wording can be incorporated into the standard signs”.
In an email shared with the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the head of harbours said:
“Amended wording to the statutory signs has now been agreed with the relevant regulatory authorities and relevant partners and is being manufactured.
“We expect the amendments to be on display in the next two weeks.
It comes as the authority has been urged to “support citizen science initiatives such as the community-led seawater sampling event in Barrowcliff”.
Speaking at a full meeting of the council on May 21, Coun Rich Maw said:
“With the resumption of testing in Scarborough’s bathing water areas, can you provide an assurance on the council’s efforts to improve water quality not only in the South Bay, but also in the North Bay.
“And how does the council view the role of local residents in monitoring and enhancing environmental standards?”
Coun Greg White, executive member for the environment, said:
“The council is committed to making sure that the two bays in Scarborough are cleaned up and that the bathing water improves.
“As you will know, we are working with lots of other agencies to help deliver that and we are using our powers, although we don’t have a lot of direct responsibility, to make sure that those who do have direct responsibility are called to account.
He added:
“I don’t know enough about the citizen initiatives that are taking place to say whether they would work, but anything that’s a contribution to those waters improving has to be welcomed.”
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