'Unholy alliance' of Conservative and Green councillors dashes River Len clean-up hopes

An ambitious Lib Dem proposal to establish an innovative River Len Stakeholder Task Force to tackle the worsening pollution and wildlife decline affecting the River Len and its chalk stream tributaries was rejected by a coalition of Conservative and Green Councillors at a full meeting of Maidstone Borough Council last night.

The proposal moved by Lib Dem Group Leader Cllr. Clive English (High Street Ward) and seconded by Cllr. Tony Harwood (North Ward) was supported by Independent and Labour councillors but opposed by the Conservatives and Greens. 

The final vote was 17 in favour of launching a River Len Stakeholder Task Force, 22 against, with two abstentions. 

If agreed, the River Len Stakeholder Task Force would have comprised local landowners and their representatives, water companies, the Environment Agency, Kent Wildlife Trust, South East Rivers Trust and other influential players under the chairmanship of the Leader of the Council. 

The vision for the Task Force was:

• Progressive removal and/or bypassing of manmade barriers to ecological movement i.e. restoring the right to a natural flow;
• Setting measurable targets and achieving continuous improvement across flow rates and water quality (including mitigating current pathways for diffuse pollutants including agricultural and highway run-off);
• Enhancing and recreating riparian habitats along the course of the River Len and its tributaries, including wet woodland, marsh and fen, wet heathland, flood meadow, ponds and ditches; and
• Restoration, expansion and reintroductions of declining or lost riparian flora and fauna associated with the River Len, including migratory fish, DesMoulin’s Whorl Snail, White-clawed Crayfish, White-legged Damselfly, Water Shrew, Water Vole, Otter, Common Snipe, Lapwing, Woodcock, Large Bittercress, Southern Marsh Orchid and Black Poplar.

Cllr. English stated: "The River Len flows for its entire course through Maidstone Borough and the Council owns key sections at Mote Park, Downswood and parts of the town centre and therefore has a genuine ability to influence a better future." 

Cllr. Harwood added: "I am deeply saddened that an unholy alliance of Conservatives and Green councillors voted to sink this practical environmental initiative that was based-on proven approaches elsewhere in the UK and Europe."

He continued:"The River Len is heavily modified by man-made structures from its source in Lenham through to its confluence with the River Medway at the Archbishop’s Palace Gardens. The resultant impeded flows exacerbate pollution from wastewater and other sources, such as agricultural and highway runoff."

Concluding: "Some of the tributaries of the River Len such as the Hollingbourne and Lilk Streams are even classified as chalk streams, as they rise at spring-lines at the foot of the North Downs, while others including the Fairbourne Stream emerge from the dip slope of the Greensand Ridge."

The proposal was in response to attempt to establish a 'Declaration on the Rights of the River Medway and its tributaries' by the Green Party, and concerns raised by Cllr. Conyard who said:

"I am deeply sympathetic to the aims originally set out and disappointed that Clive and Tony's sensible amendment did not get passed since it was a practical way to seek improvements now rather than in a few years time.  The concept of Rights of Nature, and more specifically Rights of Rivers are a potential legal quagmire since the focus is to give locus standi or as per the councils briefing notes to councillors 'personhood' under law. I do not wish to be in a position where I have to tell a resident or family that the service they rely on has been cut, or the team they need is understaffed because money has been diverted to legal fees because of something I voted in when better options were available."

Finally after much discussion and a procedural motion it was ensured that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee will be tasked with taking forward practical improvements to the management of Maidstone’s rivers.