A special public meeting is to be held to discuss the findings of a report into the pollution of Scarborough’s bathing water.
The findings of an investigation into the causes of water pollution in Scarborough will be discussed at the meeting, councillors have announced.
It comes as the Environment Agency’s (EA) updated bathing water ratings classed Scarborough’s South Bay bathing water quality as ‘poor’, with swimming discouraged, and the North Bay’s bathing water as ‘adequate’.
Coun Liz Colling, chair of the Scarborough and Whitby Area Committee, said:
"Last year North Yorkshire Council convened a water quality summit involving all the various agencies involved in our water quality.
Over the summer, there has been more detailed analysis and identification of sources of e. coli.
Those reports and analysis have been carried out by the Environment Agency and Professor Gröcke from Durham University who is leading the pollution source study using nitrogen isotope analysis of seaweed samples.
A consolidated report incorporating all the findings will be published in the next month or so, once that has been made public, the area committee will hold an additional special meeting to discuss those findings. "
Coun Colling added:
“Following that publication, and with the agreement and attendance of all the parties involved – the EA, Yorkshire Water, Durham University, Defra, McCain Foods – the area committee will hold an additional special meeting to discuss those findings.”
For almost two years, Professor Darren Gröcke has been leading a comprehensive study of seaweed along the North Yorkshire coast from Filey to Hayburn Wyke, on behalf of North Yorkshire Council.
Through nitrogen isotope analysis of more than 3,000 samples, his findings show values linked to animal manure and human sewage as the dominant contributor to nitrogen pollution, according to the university.
The study also indicates Scalby Beck as a source of nitrogen pollution in Scarborough that is carried south by marine currents towards Scarborough South Bay, a popular visitor and leisure area.
It comes as the leader of North Yorkshire Council, Coun Carl Les, suggested that the authority’s focus was moving away from the water quality summits towards smaller-scale working groups.
“I don’t think we’re going to have many more of these summit meetings, if any at all,” he said last month, adding: “I think what we’re more likely to do now is have working meetings between the experts about what the solution is and who’s going to do what.”
The exact date of the meeting has not yet been announced by North Yorkshire Council.
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