Scarborough Environmental Campaign Group Backs Conservative Candidate

Tuesday, 11 June 2024 16:51

By Anttoni James Numminen, Local Democracy Reporter

The Sons of Neptune environmental campaign group had endorsed Scarborough and Whitby Conservative parliamentary candidate Roberto Weeden-Sanz.

Sons of Neptune, a well-known environmental group from Scarborough, has said it is backing Roberto Weeden-Sanz to “help clean up our waters”.

The Sons of Neptune rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s because of its campaign against untreated sewage discharges into the sea.

Labour candidate for Scarborough and Whitby, Alison Hume, said her party would strengthen environmental regulations and criticised the Conservative-run council and Government for a lack of action.

Freddie Drabble, the leader of the campaign group, said that “the person matters more than the party” and that it wanted someone who would

“work with us to urgently solve the issue of bathing water quality in our bays”.

Bathing water quality in the town’s South Bay has been rated ‘poor’ by the Environment Agency.

Roberto Weeden-Sanz said he was “humbled” to have the group’s support and added that sewage dumping was “a huge issue for us in Scarborough and across the coast”.

He added:

“Living on South Cliff I look out onto South Bay every day and know it is essential for our town’s future that we clean up our waters as soon as possible.”

Labour’s candidate, Ms Hume, said:

“Today, bathing flags will be up in South Bay alongside notices saying the water quality is poor and bathing is not advised.

“The current situation is a farce and has been presided over by a Conservative-run council and Government.”

She also criticised former MP Sir Robert Goodwill’s voting record on sewage disposal for

“blocking changes for tougher action against Yorkshire Water who are responsible for eye-watering amounts of sewage spills… Last year was the worst on record for sewage spills.”

She added:

“The Sons of Neptune are legendary campaigners for cleaner water and if elected as the MP for Scarborough and Whitby, I pledge to make sure we achieve their aims of sewage-free seas under a Labour government.”

Conservative candidate, Mr Weeden-Sanz said:

“I will work with the Sons of Neptune to put more pressure on Yorkshire Water and any polluters to ensure we achieve an Excellence rating as soon as possible.

“I consider myself a Grandson of Neptune!”

Last week, a council committee welcomed “progress” in a South Bay water quality investigation but warned there is “no simple answer” to coastal pollution.

There are eight candidates standing for election in the Scarborough & Whitby constituency, they are:

Name	Party
David Bowes	Reform UK
Lee Francis Derrick	Yorkshire Party
Thomas Peter Foster	Social Democratic Party
Annette Hudspeth	The Green Party
Alison Hume	Labour Party
Asa Joe Benjamin Jones	Social Justice Party
Robert Graham Lockwood	Liberal Democrats
Roberto Weeden-Sanz	The Conservative and Unionist Party

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