A VERY SIGNIFICANT MEETING

I attended a very important meeting last week in London in order to personally challenge Thames Water PLC over the latest and most sickening devastation of the River Wandle in South London. Dr David Bellamy travelled down especially from Bishop Auckland to lend his support and returned the same day to Durham for an evening lecture. I can’t thank him enough. By the way he has agreed to become President of the Hampstead Heath angling society.

Thames Water sent along a Mr Aylard, head honcho, manager and leading light of Thames Water’s post disaster spin-team, a very well oiled machine or at least so you would think. Our various conversations were heated, detailed, revealing and far less than reassuring.  He faced some extremely tough interrogation from us both. More of this in future, I must keep my powder dry. One particular statement from Mr Aylard that was particularly chilling and damming was that ‘Thames Water’s priority is what enters the Beddinton Sewage works and NOT what we discharge from it as effluent.’  I asked if he would repeat these words in earshot of David and amazingly he was happy to do so.  This statement is not taken out of context and was written down by me as he repeated it. I am sure he won’t refute this. When I suggested it might be time Thames Water considered a policy rethink and urgent reprioritising in favour of their discharge quality (87%+ of Wandle flow he reluctantly and sheepishly admitted that I might have a point.)

It now appears possible that Thames Water will escape prosecution for their serial murder of the river Wandle. I fear this, following several off record conversations with concerned Environment Agency officers who appear as angry as I do. If for whatever reason the Environment Agency fail to prosecute this time then reluctantly I will do so myself, either as JetSet, NUBA, or someone intimately involved with the river for the last 15 years. To some this may appear pompous and pointless. I am used to such reaction sometimes even from fellow anglers. If the establishment fail once again to hold Thames Water to account for their ‘studied negligence and cavalier attitude to the rivers (our rivers) rivers they are licenced to intercept (borrow) for shareholder profit, then what is the future for us all?

Please remember, the Environment Agency is presently pushing for these cowboy utilities to become self policing, a recipe for complete disaster and the death knell for many such urban streams and dreams of viable evolved ecology amidst urban sprawl. In these technologically enlightened days in a corporate world supposedly alert, caring and tuned in (however cynically) to the communities they serve and abuse, communities utterly dependent on their discharge for their recreational existence and their health Thames Water must be criminally pursued and held to public account. This latest disastrous incident must represent a line in the sand and a turning point in Thames Water’s corporate culture. If I don’t fight for the future of my river and it’s safe, evolved riverine ecology how can I possibly pontificate to others. All this said I really do hope the Environment Agency pursues Thames Water this time and save me the hassle.

‘Best practice in water industry at an all time low, totally in tatters. Utilities bought and sold by other players for guaranteed profit. Lack of effective regulation. The financial situation at Southern Water fraudulent and unacceptable. Lying to regulators, behaviour disgusting and beyond belief.’ NOT MY WORDS but the words of Mr Les Dawson on Newsnight 14 November. He is the new Southern Water chief executive. How on earth can we expect these people to self regulate.

I am still waiting for Jonathan Shaw, Minister for angling to answer my ten questions to Martin Salter. He has been instructed to do so by his boss. Having reengaged so disgracefully on the bass size limit promise he clearly made and subsequently did not keep, after caving in to the eco-blind and mercenary commercial fishing lobby, I may expect to wait even longer. Maybe I will take up golf! 

PS With much pleasure and thanks to Andy Clapperton NUBA all Ireland representative we now have an official NUBA representative in Stormont, Alderman Jim Shannon MLA assembly member for Strangford constituency.

Alan Suttie 16/11/07