Bath and North East Somerset Council has unanimously agreed to take further action to protect the River Avon and its tributaries after endorsing a charter promoted by community campaigners.
What the charter seeks to do
The charter, championed by researcher and performance poet Meg Avon and the group We Are Avon, sets out a series of rights for the river, including the right to thrive, to flow sustainably and to be free from pollution. The motion adopted by councillors asks the council to review urgently what measures can be taken to improve water quality and biodiversity across the river and its feeder streams.
"Recognising these rights is not a radical act. Humans and nature are not separate, we are together."
The resolution expands its focus beyond the main channel to cover the wider river area and tributaries, and explicitly names concerns such as agricultural runoff, industrial pollution and sewage discharges by water companies.
Local voices and concerns
At the full council meeting campaigners and local residents gave testimony about the impacts they are seeing. East Harptree resident Daisy Thompson told councillors a nearby water recycling centre had discharged into a small brook that feeds the Chew River and ultimately the Avon. Thompson said she no longer lets her children enter the water.
We Are Avon has also been recruiting volunteers for monitoring and stewardship work. To date the group reports 120 river guardians active on the catchment and is monitoring 260,000 acres of surrounding landscape along the river’s course.
| Statistic | Figure |
|---|---|
| River length | 83 miles |
| River guardians recruited | 120 |
| Area under monitoring | 260,000 acres |
Council expectations and next steps
The motion was presented by Liberal Democrat councillor Andy Wait, who urged all councils along the Avon’s course "from the source to the sea" to adopt the charter. The formal resolution requests the council leader to set up regular meetings with campaign representatives and to consider practical interventions to tackle pollution and support native species.
Councillors were unanimous in their vote. The decision commits the unitary authority to consider its role in addressing multiple pressures on the river, including discharges from sewage works and runoff from agricultural land.
What this means for residents
- The council will now assess immediate and longer-term measures to improve water quality and biodiversity.
- Local groups such as We Are Avon will continue to monitor the river and press other local authorities to adopt the charter.
- Households concerned about local discharges are likely to be encouraged to report incidents to the council and the Environment Agency so they can be investigated.
The council’s endorsement is a policy step rather than an enforcement measure; practical improvements will depend on the outcomes of reviews and subsequent actions by the council, water companies and other agencies. The campaigners hope the charter will spread to other authorities along the Avon, consolidating a catchment-wide approach to river health.
Further updates will follow as the council details the review it has been asked to carry out and when regular meetings with campaign representatives begin.
