I recently received a letter from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council calling on me to support tougher policies to protect our waterways. The fact is a lot of work has already been happening thanks to significant government investment — and a fruitful partnership between my team, the Environment Agency, water companies, local conservation groups and other partners.

There is some £2.8m being spent in the Environment Agency’s latest initiative to enhance our chalk streams, and I want to put on record some of the work that has been happening in and around Andover.  

First, the River Anton is one of a handful of chalk stream Flagship Projects, where community partners are coming together to demonstrate how we can improve chalk streams. This project encompasses ongoing river restoration work and will link into the Andover Town Masterplan which aims to improve the river corridor in our town centre. 

We are also working to restore sustainable abstraction in the River Anton — Southern Water has applied to reduce their abstraction licence in Andover, and investment will be made in improving the river channel near Andover College, reducing flood risk. 

In Whitchurch, work is ongoing with the Whitchurch Conservation Group around local development and levels of phosphate in the river and groundwater. In Overton, we have part-funded a river restoration project to improve the river channel next to the footpath at Flashetts. Our wider work throughout both the Test and Itchen catchments has led to many kilometres of both rivers being improved over the last 10 years. And let’s not forget the Salmon Delivery Plan which is putting in place practical measures to try and reverse the decline in the salmon population.

More widely across the UK, the last decade has seen some remarkable progress - the restoration of the River Mersey is now seen as an ecological miracle, while the billions spent on the Thames super sewer will cleanse that river for generations to come.

There is still much to do, but do not believe the propaganda that all is doom and gloom. In fact, water quality and river health have always been a priority and always will be.