The Scrutiny Performance Panel - Climate Change and Nature met to discuss the council's progress on nature recovery and water quality management. Key topics included the implementation of the Section 6 Biodiversity Duty Action Plan, the health of Swansea Bay's bathing waters, and efforts to reduce pollution incidents.

Nature Recovery Update

Councillor Andrew Stevens, Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure, provided an update on the council's nature recovery work, highlighting progress made since March 2026 in delivering the Section 6 Biodiversity Duty Action Plan 2026–28. The council is nine months into its three-year plan, which aims to maintain and enhance biodiversity and promote ecosystem resilience.

Significant progress has been made, including securing approximately £1.44 million in Welsh Government Local Places for Nature funding over two years. This funding is being used for various initiatives such as enhancing nature sites, installing sustainable drainage systems, developing community orchards, tree planting, and habitat restoration. The report noted that between April and June, 51 events were held, involving 556 volunteers who contributed nearly 1,200 hours.

The council is also preparing to declare 40 new Local Nature Reserves on council land, with a Cabinet meeting scheduled for January 2027 to discuss these proposals. Swansea has also joined the international Biophilic Cities Network, aiming to integrate nature more effectively into the built environment. A full-time Senior Planning Ecologist has been appointed to bolster the council's capacity to review planning applications and secure biodiversity gains.

Restoration work is set to begin on approximately three hectares of peatland at the Garth Farm site near Clydach. Councillor Stevens thanked the Nature Recovery Team, including Mark Barber, Paul Meller, and Deb Hill, for their significant contributions, often achieved with the support of volunteers and community groups.

Questions from councillors focused on the long-term security of funding for nature recovery projects, with Mark Barber, Nature Recovery Team Leader and Principal Officer, stating that while future funding cannot be guaranteed, there are positive indications from the Welsh Government. He added that the council is working to embed nature recovery within wider projects to make the programme more resilient.

Councillor Will Thomas raised concerns about the management of common land, noting the increase in trees and small woodlands and questioning the council's approach and funding for these areas. Councillor Brigitte Rowlands, Secretary of the Westly Morgan Commoners Association, spoke about the importance of grazing animals for maintaining common land biodiversity, carbon capture, and flood prevention, highlighting a decline in grazing and the impact of wildfires, which she referred to as arson attacks. Councillor Andrew Stevens acknowledged the importance of conservation grazing and confirmed the council is exploring conservation grazing around local nature reserve sites and supporting farmers with GPS cattle collars to prevent livestock casualties on roads. Mark Barber added that the Gower National Landscape Team has been working on common land issues for decades and that a new project, the Gower Landscape Connections Partnership, could provide significant funding if secured.

Water Quality, Management and Pollution Control

Adrian Johnson, Team Leader for Pollution Control and Public Health, and Tom Price, Divisional Environmental Health Officer, provided an update on water quality and pollution control.

The Swansea Bay Water Quality Prediction System has been effective in informing the public about bathing water quality, with a significant increase in public engagement noted when the system was temporarily offline. However, quantifying its direct impact on public health is challenging due to the lack of routine data collection on bathing water-related illnesses.

Regarding Swansea Bay's bathing water rating, it was explained that classifications are based on four years of monitoring data. The bay is currently rated as 'Good', while several Gower beaches have achieved 'Excellent' ratings. Challenges in achieving an 'Excellent' rating for Swansea Bay include its urban setting and various potential sources of bacterial contamination, such as agricultural runoff, misconnected private drains, and storm overflows. A comprehensive investigation into these sources would require substantial long-term investment. The Swansea Bay Prediction Model, which uses a robotic process automation system, is considered a unique and effective tool for real-time water quality prediction.

The council works closely with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Welsh Water to reduce pollution incidents. While historically proactive, resource constraints have shifted the focus to a reactive approach, responding to reported incidents. Councillor Adam Davis raised concerns about nitrate levels in the Burry Inlet and their impact on planning, with officers promising to obtain a written response from NRW, who are the lead regulators on this issue.

The impact of climate change on water quality was discussed, with heavy rainfall leading to immediate deterioration through increased bacterial levels and runoff, while droughts reduce dilution rates and increase water temperatures. Councillor Chris Evans asked about the council's response to these impacts, and officers noted that future improvements will depend on wastewater infrastructure and catchment management.

Regarding staffing levels for the 24-hour pollution response service, it was confirmed that while the service is maintained, resource pressures limit proactive investigations and preventive work.

Concerns were raised about event waste disposal, particularly from smaller events in Gower. While management plans for larger events include waste disposal details, routine on-site monitoring is not conducted due to resource limitations. The Safety Advisory Group (SAG) has been consulted, and for council events, a preferred supplier is used. However, the council stated that if specific occurrences are reported, they will investigate.

The council's work with Welsh Water on separating rainwater from sewage systems was discussed, with Councillor Will Thomas inquiring about the council's budget and projects in this area. Officers stated they do not have this information readily available but will seek a detailed response. Adrian Johnson highlighted that the council's day-to-day work involves identifying misconnections into separated systems, a task that has become more reactive.

The aeration system in the River Tawe was discussed, with officers confirming its effectiveness in mixing the water column to maintain dissolved oxygen and salinity levels, supporting aquatic life. There are no current plans to extend similar aeration systems to other sites in Swansea.

Finally, Councillor Chris Evans inquired about advice and guidance provided to local builders regarding drainage systems. Officers explained that while building control inspections cover drainage, the ultimate responsibility lies with the builder. A website called Connect Right, created by NRW, was mentioned as a resource for builders and homeowners.

The meeting concluded with a discussion of the work plan for the upcoming year, with a commitment to include a more in-depth discussion on common land management.