Minutes:
Notice of Motion submitted under Procedural Standing Order 14.2.1(a).
It was moved by County Councillor Bill Winlow and seconded by County Councillor Paul Hayhurst that:
"Over the last few weeks we have witnessed United Utilities struggle to contain an outbreak of Cryptosporidium. Apart from the obvious public health risk, this has led to business damage and great inconvenience for over 300,000 residents in Lancashire. The prolonged period for which this situation has continued appears to have been due to a failure of inspection and regulatory procedures and an apparently inadequate contingency plan for dealing with such an outbreak.
Lancashire County Council therefore instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Minister for Health and to the Minister for Energy and Climate Change drawing their attention to the inadequacy of regulation in major industries, particularly in the light of the 14th round of onshore oil and gas licence awards covering much of England. We also request that Central Government should put in place rigorous, independent regulatory and inspection regimes for industries which affect Public Health, above all improved purification of domestic water supplies, and the treatment and disposal of contaminated waste water."
County Councillor Azhar Ali moved the following amendment which was seconded by County Councillor Marcus Johnstone:
Add the following words between the first and second paragraphs:
"Lancashire County Council recognises the work of the multi-agency strategic coordination group that is chaired by Lancashire County Council’s Director of Public Health and includes a number of district councils and government departments. This Council further recognises the work of LCC’s Emergency Planning and Public Health Teams in preventing any major sickness outbreaks."
County Councillor Winlow accepted the amendment to his motion which combined became the substantive Motion, which on being put to the vote was carried and it was:
Resolved: That,
"Over the last few weeks we have witnessed United Utilities struggle to contain an outbreak of Cryptosporidium. Apart from the obvious public health risk, this has led to business damage and great inconvenience for over 300,000 residents in Lancashire. The prolonged period for which this situation has continued appears to have been due to a failure of inspection and regulatory procedures and an apparently inadequate contingency plan for dealing with such an outbreak.
Lancashire County Council recognises the work of the multi-agency strategic coordination group that is chaired by Lancashire County Council’s Director of Public Health and includes a number of district councils and government departments. This Council further recognises the work of LCC’s Emergency Planning and Public Health Teams in preventing any major sickness outbreaks.
Lancashire County Council therefore instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Minister for Health and to the Minister for Energy and Climate Change drawing their attention to the inadequacy of regulation in major industries, particularly in the light of the 14th round of onshore oil and gas licence awards covering much of England. We also request that Central Government should put in place rigorous, independent regulatory and inspection regimes for industries which affect Public Health, above all improved purification of domestic water supplies, and the treatment and disposal of contaminated waste water."