Campaigning
Regulatory Challenges:
We challenge the Environment Agency (EA) and Ofwat to enforce stricter, more effective regulations on water companies, ensuring clean rivers, wildlife protection, and safe water-based activities for the community.
Strategic Response to Industry Changes:
CRKC is contributing to the national debate on the future of the water sector in England, alongside other grassroots campaign groups including the National Sewage Campaign, Surfers Against Sewage, Save Windermere and the Ilkley Clean River Group.
Having consulted our individual supporters, in early 2025 CRKC produced a policy statement in which we call for the water industry to be publicly owned and democratically controlled. CRKC has submitted evidence to the Commission on the water sector regulatory system (the Cunliffe Commission) and to the People’s Commission.
Campaigning on the ‘big picture’ issues is set to be important strand of future CRKC activity.
Bathing Status
In 2022, we collected data, photos and survey responses for an application for bathing designation for a stretch of the river Kent in Staveley. Our application was unsuccessful as we did not meet the criteria for the number of ‘bathers’.
CRKC went on to campaign for clearer guidance from DEFRA for future submissions, especially for upland river sites like the river Kent. They’ve now provided guidance – and it’s clear that it’s almost impossible for an upland river to gain designation. The guidance states that there must be 100 people present at the location every day during the summer bathing season. Clearly this was created with a beach in mind, rather a peaceful upland river, with a variety of users, at a variety of locations.
Nevertheless, the whole process has been useful in terms of raising awareness of CRKC locally, and finding out more about the river and how people use it.
CRKC is now exploring possible alternatives to national designation.
Engagement with United Utilities
We campaign to draw attention to the crisis facing our rivers and to hold those in positions of power to account. We are proactively pressuring United Utilities (UU) to implement meaningful improvements in wastewater management within our local area.
In September 2023, we organised a petition to present to Louise Beardmore, CEO of United Utilities. The petition called on United Utilities to put an end to years of sewage being discharged onto Staveley streets and into the precious local river Kent.
2024 General Election Hustings
CRKC (a politically non-aligned group) hosted a lively hustings at which Westmorland & Lonsdale parliamentary candidates were asked challenging questions on water issues by members of the audience.