Councillors to debate condition of poorest-performing protected river in Wales

Bruce Sinclair, local democracy reporter

A public call for action to save the River Cleddau is set to be debated by councillors after a petition demanding urgent intervention passed the threshold for a full council discussion.

The e-petition, launched by campaigner James Harrison-Allen, calls on Pembrokeshire County Council to commit to a Clean Rivers Policy aimed at restoring the health of the Cleddau after what campaigners describe as decades of neglect and degradation.

In the petition statement, Mr Harrison-Allen says the river “flows through the heart of Pembrokeshire, including our county town, and is the foundation for the county’s prosperity”, but warns it is now “failing” and at risk of irreversible decline without decisive action.

The petition highlights findings from Natural Resources Wales’ 2024 Water Assessment Report, which identified the Cleddau rivers and estuary as the worst-performing Special Area of Conservation (SAC) designated river system in Wales. The report found pollution levels to be worse than those recorded in the rivers Wye and Usk, and significantly poorer than neighbouring catchments such as the Towy and Teifi.

Campaigners argue the pollution is having damaging consequences for the local economy, public health and wildlife, and accuse regulators of ineffective monitoring, enforcement and prosecution. Among the demands are a formal, public commitment from the council to prioritise the river’s recovery and place the health of the Cleddau at the centre of decision-making.

The issue has already drawn political attention. Earlier this year, Mid and South Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell called for “urgent” action after chairing a public discussion on the river’s condition. The event, organised by local river action group The Cleddau Project, brought together environmental experts, regulators and community representatives to examine pollution sources, regulatory failures and potential solutions.

Panel

The panel included representatives from Afonydd Cymru, Welsh Water, Natural Resources Wales, Cardiff University and dairy firm First Milk. More than 150 people attended the meeting at Haverfordwest Rugby Club, held just days after NRW formally declared the Cleddau the poorest-performing protected river in Wales.

Following the discussion, Mr Tufnell said the river was a “vital natural resource” and pledged to continue pressing for cleaner water and stronger accountability to protect it for future generations.

The petition remains open until February 1 and had attracted 1,678 signatures as of December 16. Under council rules, any petition with more than 500 signatures is entitled to be debated at a future full council meeting.