SALTASH Town Council has unanimously backed a formal vote of no confidence in South West Water following concerns over sewage pollution, water quality and the condition of Cornwall’s wastewater infrastructure.

Councillors considered a report on the Dowr Glan Clean Water Campaign during their latest full council meeting earlier this month.

Dowr Glan is a Cornwall-wide grassroots campaign bringing together town and parish councils, community organisations and residents concerned about sewage pollution, declining water quality and rising water bills.

The campaign is calling for meaningful reform of the way water and wastewater services are managed and overseen across Cornwall.

As part of its campaign, Dowr Glan is encouraging town and parish councils to support a formal letter to Cornwall’s Members of Parliament, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Ofwat and Cornwall Council.

The correspondence seeks to go beyond a protest and formally challenge whether South West Water remains suitable to operate under its existing licence.

Saltash councillors welcomed the aims of the campaign and supported efforts to improve water quality across Cornwall. However, members stopped short of supporting a proposal to transfer water and wastewater services to a publicly owned organisation, saying this fell outside the council’s remit.

Despite this, councillors said they shared concerns about the management of Cornwall’s sewage infrastructure and the potential consequences for the environment and public health.

The council then unanimously voted to support the formal declaration of a vote of no confidence in South West Water.

Members also agreed to delegate Councillor Scott Slavin to write to the Dowr Glan Clean Water Campaign on behalf of the town council, responding directly to Cllr Mael Garrec of Penryn Town Council, who had contacted Saltash regarding the campaign.

The council said its position demonstrated a commitment to protecting public health, safeguarding the environment and supporting the wellbeing of people in Saltash.

Saltash Mayor, Cllr Brian Stoyel said clean water and a healthy environment remained priorities for the community.

“While the town council did not support all aspects of the motion, we share the concerns about sewage pollution and its impact on Cornwall’s environment and public health,” he said.

Cllr Slavin said he had written to the Dowr Glan campaign on behalf of Saltash Town Council. He said the council shared concerns over sewage pollution and water quality and supported efforts to improve accountability and services for communities across Cornwall.

However, he stressed the town council could not support public utility companies being taken into state ownership.

The council’s decision means Saltash has joined the growing number of Cornwall communities raising concerns about the performance and oversight of water and wastewater services.

Dowr Glan is seeking support from councils across the county as it presses for greater accountability and action over water quality, sewage pollution and the future management of the region’s water infrastructure.

The vote also underlines growing pressure on local authorities to speak out over water quality, pollution and infrastructure, as communities across Cornwall continue to demand stronger scrutiny and meaningful improvements from those responsible and urgently.