In case you didn't know!? Yorkshire Water Drop-ins in Hedon on Wednesday 24th August

YORKSHIRE WATER, besieged by complaints over the odours emanating from its Saltend Waste Water Treatment Works, have responded to public and political pressure by organising a series of drop-in sessions on Wednesday 24th August 2011 from 3pm - 8pm.

The sessions take place at Hedon Town Hall which is a rather small venue considering the hundreds of people that have taken the time to complain or sign a petition about the ongoing odour problem from the Treatment Works. Yorkshire Water say that they will hold five separate sessions, starting on the hour, each hour, from 3pm. This will include a presentation, followed by a chance to speak to key staff. So those people that know about the event can presumably choose which one they wish to attend - it would be just unfortunate for them if everyone decided to turn up at 6pm!

The key phrase in the last paragraph was "..those people that know about the event...". And therein lies a problem! Yorkshire Water announced the drop-in sessions on its website and subscribers were informed that "new information had been added" to that site on Wednesday 17th August. Those who studied the website would have realised the 'new information' was the one-week notice that the drop-ins were taking place. It may have been naive of anti-smell campaigners to expect follow-up publicity and letter to local customers about the drop-ins - but that naivety seems to have been rewarded with an event that the public seem largely unaware of?

The Yorkshire Water Smells Campaign will do what it can to advise customers of the drop-ins - but it seems that the decision to book a small venue for the event was probably correct given the foresight that notice was short and publicity scarce!

Local Councillor John Dennis has urged people to attend the drop-ins in a comment on the Hedon Blog: "I hope all you Hedon bloggers' take this opportunity, and that you tell all your family and friends to turn up too... it is not acceptable that the company that has given us the problem should be allowed to get away with it, at least without facing the people affected by their actions." 

Fellow Ward Councillor Mike Bryan has given his apologies and is unable to attend the drop-ins, but has also encouraged people to turn up and have their say!

So just in case you did not know...: Yorkshire Water Public Drop-in - Wednesday 24 August, Hedon Town Hall, 3pm - 8pm