Harrogate MP welcomes 'Bathing Status' boost for Nidd but Lib Dem rival points to pollution plans as 'half-baked'

If designated, the sites would receive regular water monitoring by the Environment Agency, which would investigate pollution sources and identify steps to be taken in response.

But the news has once again split politics in Harrogate with the town's MP Andrew Jones urging public to back the Bathing Status application while his Lib Dem rival claims the announcement does nothing to stop water firms from carrying on dumping sewage.

Harrogate and Knaresborough's bid to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs received support from more than 30 local organisations including farming groups, parish and town councils, businesses and environmental groups.

Andrew Jones MP, who has led the campaign, says Defra’s consultation is the next part in the process and it is important that the public demonstrate strong support for the bid.

“It is good that our bid for bathing water status has reached the next stage,” said Mr Jones.

“I know that local people are behind the bathing water bid but we need to show Defra that this is the case and we need to do so right now because of the tight deadline for this consultation."

The deadline to show support is March 10 and the MP is encouraging people to go online to show their support.

But Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough Tom Gordon claims enthusiasm should be tempered by what he says is a lack of direct action by the Government on the continuing problem of pollution and sewage in rivers like the Nidd.

"This is a half-baked plan. In the past two years, 400,000 hours of sewage have been discharged in bathing water sites, which doesn’t make me hopeful, despite the announcement by Defra,” said Mr Gordon.

"It is deeply disappointing that under the Government’s Bathing Water plans, sewage can still be dumped into the River Nidd.”

To support the bid: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/water/consultation-on-designation-of-27-sites-as-bathing/