Yes,We are still here!!

Des Says Clean Up Your Poo!

Brighton MP Des Turner has met with the Environment Minister Michael Meacher to call on the environment Agency to take action against Southern Water's outflow at Portobello.

Des says: "I'm asking Michael Meacher to get the EA to urgently investigate why Southern Water's assurances about their discharges at Portobello don't appear to be worth the paper they're written on. I have met with Saltdean swimmers and local residents who've provided me with first hand accounts and photographic proof that sewage is drifting to shore."

He says it was a positive meeting and the EA has promised to investigate. Local people are being asked to provide samples from the sea at times when the shit hits the shore!

"Southern Water have claimed their discharges won't come closer to the shore than half a mile - but that simply isn't the case. The effluent doesn't disperse or flow in the way SW claims. This has serious consequences for public health. Possible bacterial and viral infections must be prevented." says Des.

He goes on to say this "evidence" further undermines their planning application for Portobello.

The outcome of the public inquiry into Portobello's future is expected in the autumn.

Big Changes at HQ!

If you get Pipeline News you can skip this bit!

After 10 years as top SAS honcho, Chris Hines is changing his role within the organisation. He will now make a contribution as a director and consultant to the group. He was 'da man' who, with the SAS crew, took on the might of the privatised water industry and, in many ways, won. In 1989 the Tories announced a £1.5 billion clean-up - and SAS have helped deliver a further £8.5 million from Labour to help clean up the seas between 2000 & 2005.

The latest big change at HQ is the recruitment of James Hendy as Campaign Support Worker. A top surfer, he'll liaise and build an alliance of ALL recreational water users in the UK. His post is being funded by Billabong, Paul McCartney, the Royal Yachting Association and Beach Beat.

Chris's role has now been taken over by Vicky Garner as Campaign Manager and Kim Harris as Business Manager.

The message is that the fight to clean up the seas goes on, and YOUR SUPPORT IS STILL NEEDED.

SAS are now working with the European Commission and the Department of the Environment on a revision of the EC Bathing Water Directive - a three year project which will protect the people using our coastline and waters.

Media Coverage

Thanks to our media star 'Issy' on the Radio 4 Today programme and Atlanta Cook who spent a whole afternoon on a live chat show and did an interview for Meridian. She held her own against a professor who said you were more likely to get run over by a bus than get ill from sewage in the sea, (yer right). Thanks to the kids from last year who did a brilliant job last summer and ended up on national TV this January, you know who you are! Oh and thanks to our latest media star Clive Reeve who also did a stirling job on National TV on behalf of Brighton SAS.

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