Cullercoats bathing water task group formed to improve water quality

Set up by North Tyneside’s Elected Mayor, the Cullercoats Bathing Water Task Group brings together North Tyneside Council, the Environment Agency, Northumbrian Water, and community representatives.

Its role is to share information, coordinate efforts, and keep investigations on track as the work continues.

At its meeting, the group agreed its terms of reference, took stock of progress so far, and discussed the next steps in the ongoing investigation, including further testing. It will meet three times this year to review findings and provide a steer on the way forward.

Since 2017, North Tyneside Council, Northumbrian Water, and the Environment Agency have been working together to identify and remedy water quality concerns at Cullercoats.

Investigations suggest contaminated groundwater is the main issue, and a huge amount of work has been carried out across both public and private land to identify possible causes and make improvements.

The group is chaired by Councillor Karen Clark, Cabinet Member responsible for Public Health and Wellbeing. She said: “This group brings together people with the right knowledge and expertise to keep things moving in the right direction.

"A lot of hard work has already gone in to try and resolve this issue, and we’re determined to build on that progress. By working together, we can get a clearer picture of the challenges and continue working to find solutions, until the water quality matches our aspirations.”

The task group will meet again in June to review progress and discuss next steps.