Southampton City Council is encouraging residents to complete a survey to inform its recently announced scrutiny inquiry, on “protecting, preserving and promoting the River Itchen”.
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The council said it would “Seek the views of residents and stakeholders” as part of its river examination, as it’s “keen to understand the views of our communities about the River Itchen”.
The survey is here (closes Oct 3).
As we previously reported (here and here), the council’s overview and scrutiny management committee selected the topic from a list of four.
A panel of councillors will also run a series of monthly meetings to help identify the various different users and uses of the River Itchen and the challenges this presents.
The council says the inquiry panel will also examine good practice being employed to protect, preserve and promote urban rivers elsewhere in the country with a view to understanding what initiatives and approaches could work well in Southampton.
Cabinet member for housing and the green environment, Cllr Lisa Mitchell (Lab), said: “The River Itchen has been the lifeblood of Southampton since Roman and Saxon times and is an important natural resource. However, we are aware that the river is used and enjoyed by numerous and, at times, competing groups. We know that there are many pressures on the Itchen and our hope is that an inquiry can explore these challenges and seek to identify, with our partners, some solutions to the current problems.”
The inquiry is due to commence on October 6 with a final report scheduled to be agreed by the panel in April 2023.
• Bitterne Park councillor Tony Bunday (Lab) will be launching a petition to Southern Water about sewage on Saturday (Sept 24) at Riverside Park/Cobden Bridge.