We are disturbed and disappointed that on Wednesday 12 July 2023, members of the Wye Catchment Nutrient Management Board (NMB) narrowly voted to move to a closed session to discuss reform of the governance of the NMB, including appointment of an independent Chair.

Why would such a proposal need to be discussed in secret?

The statutory environmental agencies have put forward a proposal for 'a governance refresh'. Their proposal says:

"Tackling the issues with phosphate in the River Wye catchment requires extensive and committed partnership working; and there is a long history of this in the catchment. However the challenges are diverse and divisive which makes it hard to reach consensus. This has been exacerbated of late with the level of political and stakeholder challenge brought about by the spotlight on the condition of the river. Progress is being made with delivery of actions, but this is being overshadowed, and potentially stalled, to the detriment of making tangible progress."

Are they suggesting that public scrutiny is preventing them from making progress? Is it really true that people watching meetings and asking questions is why the NMB is failing to deliver an action plan to protect, clean up and restore the Wye?

It has been voluntary groups who have informed the public of the true magnitude of river pollution - not the statutory agencies or politicians who are responsible for our environment. Yet whilst we have pushed for change, we are somehow now being framed as an impediment to change and being excluded.

The statutory agencies propose that an 'Executive Leadership Group' made up of the agencies and local authorities should meet in private. 

We think it is a disgrace that public bodies funded by public money want to shut out the public.

Unfortunately no recording of this Nutrient Management Board meeting has yet appeared. So, for the record, a closed session was upheld by just one vote, winning 7 to 6. This is how the votes fell for secrecy vs openness:

Voted for closed session: Natural England, Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Countryside Landowner's Association, Herefordshire National Farmers Union, Farm Herefordshire and the Wye and Usk Foundation.

Voted against closed session: Herefordshire Council, Powys County Council, Forest of Dean Council, Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, Hereford Construction Industry Lobby Group and Board Chair.

Abstained: Welsh Water/Dwr Cymru

Refrained from voting: Bannau Brecheinniog National Park and Monmouthshire Council.

This manouevre comes in the very same week that OpenDemocracy and the Guardian reported that private meetings between the National Farmers Union, poultry industry representatives, DEFRA and the Environment Agency led to a loophole being created in the guidance around the Farming Rules for Water - allowing farmers to spread manure in circumstances when it could pollute rivers. 

Scrutiny should drive improvements. Only two years ago the Nutrient Management Board produced a draft plan which mentioned 9 million chickens in the catchment. In fact, research shows that over 20 million is a better estimate. It was the diligent work of the public and press who brought this to light. 

We have always tried to support the agencies in their work. We set up our citizen science water quality monitoring network in recognition of the fact that the agencies have had their budgets slashed and are thus not properly funded to do the necessary monitoring. We have used our volunteer army of river guardians to be extra 'eyes and ears' on the ground, highlighting egregious pollution incidents. We have lobbied for the agencies to have more funding and resources. And yet for all our efforts, and for all their rhetoric about championing ‘public engagement’, we now find these very agencies seeking to shut us and the public out. 

We understand that shortly after the meeting voted for a closed session, the private zoom room cut out and the secret meeting was abandoned. We urge the statutory agencies to take this opportunity to reconsider and hold their reform discussions in public. 

Saving the Wye will require urgent action and difficult choices. We fear that secret deals done behind closed doors are more likely to lead to cosy compromises that let polluters off the hook.

Friends of the Upper Wye

Friends of the Lower Wye

Save The Wye

CPRE Herefordshire