Groups are joining forces for action for cleaner seas in Kent. There is a public meeting tonight (January 3) organised by Dover and Deal Green Party, and East Kent Climate Action.
The two groups are launching a single issue campaign group called Save Our Seas Deal and Walmer, and hope to bring in local community groups. They said the campaign group’s aim would be to “force DEFRA, and minister Steve Reed MP, and Southern Water, and chief executive officer Lawrence Gosden, to install everything necessary to clean up Deal and Walmer coastal waters in 2025”.
They hope by December this year, the Environment Agency will be able to certify the seawater as “good” or “excellent” once again. A Surfers Against Sewage representative is expected to speak about the national #EndSewagePollution campaign at tonight’s meeting, which is at 5.30pm in Walmer Parish Hall in Dover Road.
A spokesperson for the two groups said: “The launch of the local campaign comes at a key moment when two Water Bills are on parliamentary books, a weaker government bill and a stronger private member’s bill from Clive Lewis MP.”
Save our Seas Walmer and Deal
(Image: Sarah Waite)
“Save our Seas Whitstable and Save Our Seas Ramsgate campaign groups are already part of the national Sewage Campaign Network. These groups have offered support to the new Deal and Walmer Save Our Seas group whose organisers participated on November 3 last year in the March for Clean Water in London.”
‘Downgraded to sufficient’
Their press officer Sarah Waite said: “I was very pleased that the local town council I serve on, voted to spend £500 on doing quarterly seawater testing in 2025. Colleagues on Deal and Walmer local councils have lobbied higher level authorities throughout 2024.”
Dover and Deal Green Party’s Christine Oliver said: “Many local residents have been concerned since our seawater quality was downgraded to ‘sufficient’ in 2023. I certainly hope that together, working as Save Our Seas Deal and Walmer, we will be able to put the powers that be under pressure and get results.”
All are welcome to the launch meeting. Address: Walmer Parish Hall, 131 Dover Road, Walmer, CT14 7JH. Tonight (January 3) 5.30pm to 7pm.
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