Fay Jones MP has welcomed Herefordshire Council Chief Executive Paul Walker’s endorsement of her call for a cross-border task force to tackle water quality issues in the River Wye catchment.

Ms Jones made the call during a roundtable discussion in May with Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey, Welsh Government and Welsh Water representatives.

This would represent a movement towards an approach that Ms Jones has been calling for throughout her time as an MP, given the way in which the River Wye flows from Wales into England and back again..

In light of this complexity and need for a joined-up approach to tackle this joint problem, Ms Jones is in agreement with Mr Walker’s view that such a task force is “an essential next step in ensuring the right measures are put in place across the catchment.”

The Brecon and Radnorshire MP also agrees with specific areas of exploration recommended by the council, particularly investigation to plug gaps in understanding, and the support and inclusion of farming representatives in delivering a solution to the problems.

Ms Jones said: “I am delighted to learn that Herefordshire Council has emphatically adopted my call for a Cross Border Taskforce for water quality in the Wye catchment.

“This is something I have been pressing for since I became an MP and during the May roundtable itself, given that the Wye flows from Wales into England and back again.

“Residents and tourists alike who enjoy our beautiful rivers expect exactly this sort of radical action to improve water quality and I look forward to following further developments.”