THE beleaguered River Wye is to get rights in one county, set out in a new charter.

Herefordshire county councillors backed a motion put forward by Cabinet member for environment and Llangarron Conservative ward member Elissa Swinglehurst for a six-point charter granting the river:

  • the right to flow and “perform natural functions” among them, maintaining its natural course without obstructions;
  • the right to biodiversity, with balanced, diverse, and viable populations of species;
  • the right to be free from pollution;
  • the right to be supported by a healthy catchment feeding into it;
  • the right to regenerate through natural processes, supported by intervention where necessary;
  • the right to be represented and have its rights recognised.

Coun Swinglehurst told fellow councillors the Wye “is loved by the army of citizen scientists testing her tributaries, by the anglers, canoeists, rowers, paddle boarders, wild swimmers, and walkers, by parents, children, poets, artists, even councillors”.

She hoped the charter, “crafted by volunteers”, would “influence and guide, much as the climate and ecological emergency declaration” backed by the council in 2019.

Cllr Swinglehurst further hoped it would be supported by other regional authorities, and would “find a place in schools and village halls, parish councils, environmental campaign groups, businesses and homes”.

Fellow Conservative councillor Robert Highfield said that while “not spiritual”, the charter idea was “critically important to us in a practical sense, for the health of the environment in our county, for tourism, for the mental well-being of people who use it”.

But city LibDem councillor Ben Proctor said it was “an irony” that this was happening when the Conservative Party “wishes to take rights away from human beings”.

LibDem group leader Terry James said “dramatic” action was needed, but this was “whistling in the wind”.

But interim Green group leader Coun Stef Simmons said it would be “a signal... that we take this seriously”.

It was carried with one vote against and three abstentions.