As part of our series of training on “Water Management in a Changing Climate” CLASP and The Environment Agency invite you to join us for an introductory session looking at the interrelationships between local authority activity and the bathing water environment in the North West.

The session will also introduce the high-level commitments made recently at the Bathing Water Summit, signed up to by authorities across the NW.   The session will explore what local leaders have signed up to, what it means in practice, and what you need to do.

This session is particularly aimed at sustainability officers, planning officers and members who may not be directly involved in water management but who would like to better understand this issue and its growing importance.

Provisional Agenda

12.30   Registration.

13.00   Welcome and Introduction

Liz O’Neill

Northern Ambition Programme Executive, Environment Agency

13.10    The Changing Climate & Our Bathing Waters

Importance of bathing waters (natural, social, and economic perspectives).  How a changing climate is affecting water quality both through natural processes, surface water flow and change of use of bathing areas. Changes in user demands/habits.

13.30   Planning, Remediation and Innovation

Phillip Carter, Environment Agency and Kenji Shermer, Blackpool Council

Blackpool Core Strategy. Opportunities for strong planning decisions to tackle bathing water quality issues.

13.50   Managing Bathing Waters – Opportunities & Action Break Out Session

Discussion around what the new Bathing Water Directive means for Local Authorities and what is required of them. Including the importance of planning for future growth, sustainable development options etc.

14.20   Break

14.40   United Utilities

Lee Bryce

United Utilities planning for the future, case studies/examples.

15.00   NW Case-study

Sam Gregg/ Richard Maunsell (tbc)

 Sustainable urban drainage in Carlisle and its contribution to improving local and coastal water quality

15.20   Discussion

Led by Liz O’Neill

15.50   Summary

16.00   Close