WATER companies will be asked to appear before Dorset councillors to spell out what they intend to do to protect the county's rivers and coast.

Pollution issues were raised many times on the doorstep during the May election campaign, according to councillors.

New Lib Dem council leader Cllr Nick Ireland says the authority will continue to deliver polices and actions that demonstrate its commitment to Dorset's valued environment.

The council has previously declared a climate and environmental emergency and, just this month, added a nature emergency.

Cllr Ireland said: "In relation to river and coastal water quality, our responsibility is limited as the regulator is the Environment Agency. However, locally we have good working relationships with the Agency and other stakeholders involved in protecting waters.

"The Council's Place & Resources Scrutiny Committee will be asked to consider this matter and will invite stakeholders, including the water utility companies to participate. From this work, there are likely to be recommendations with the aim of further protecting these vital resources."

His response came in answer to a question from Beaminster Conservative councillor, Craig Monks, who said a constituent had asked him what the council's plans were to tackle pollution in the River Brit, other Dorset rivers and the county's coastline.

He said the query had arisen out of promises made by candidates during the election campaign: "With this commitment to the residents of Dorset in mind, the Council would need to consider within its plan's issues such as what legislation or other relevant powers it might intend to rely on to achieve its aim of cleaning up Dorset's rivers and coastline, Other organisations or stakeholders that the Council would need to collaborate with to implement any policy; projected costs to the Council and clear set targets, including timeframes, to measure the policy's success?"

"Taking all these points into consideration can the council share with us what progress has been made so far to tackle this issue and will this work be a stand-alone commitment with its own budgets and timeframes of delivery or within the Councils proposed nature emergency declaration?"