TIME is running out to “save the agricultural industry in Pembrokeshire,” members of Pembrokeshire County Council heard during a discussion on Welsh Government consultation to tackle nitrate pollution in Wales.

Proposals could see three quarters of the county designated as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ).

The deadline for consultations is now less than three weeks away on December 23.

At Monday’s November 28 meeting of Pembrokeshire county Council’s Cabinet, members agreed to an amended response to the proposed response to the Welsh Government.

At that meeting, Councillor Huw George expressed concerns about NRW’s ‘discrete area’ map, covering the majority of Pembrokeshire: “There is no doubt that at some time the nitrogen levels will have to be declared; is this the right way to do it? The ‘discrete area’ isn’t very discrete, this covers perhaps three quarters of the county of Pembrokeshire, it would affect somewhere in the region of 1,800 holdings, that is immense.”

Cllr George expressed concerns about the wording about potential changes to the regulations ‘may result’ in improvements.

He said the levels in Pembrokeshire hadn’t gone down and had only gone up a little bit on current designations.

“To make such a large decision, an important decision, and a controversial decision, on the words ‘may result’ I think is the wrong way of going about it,” said Cllr George.

He added: “The Eastern Cleddau’s less of a risk than the Western Cleddau and yet they will all be piled in together.”

He said three areas highlighted in the report for dissolved available inorganic nitrogen and four or five areas for dissolved available inorganic phosphorus, should be tackled first to see if it works, “rather than burden the whole agricultural industry.”

He warned that many farmers he had spoken to had warned they would not be able to be viable as businesses moving forward, adding: “And all because it ‘may result’ in an improvement.”

He stressed the importance of dealing with nitrate levels.

“We all agree we’ve got the most blue flags in Wales, let’s be proud of that; we may find the nitrate levels will come down; but what price will we have paid for that?”

Cllr George said there was a need for further discussion.

“I would challenge ourselves, the farming industry, the unions and the Welsh Government, for us all to sit down together; let’s turn that ‘may’ and target certain areas.”

He warned: “A decision to support this today, I think, is something our children and our children’s children – and the future wellbeing of those people – I think is in the balance.

“I think we need to go back to Welsh Government and NRW and start again because this is far too big a decision to pass off with slick questions that don’t get to the real importance of the effect. Nitrates need to be tackled, but this perhaps is not the way.”

Cllr George later added: “I wouldn’t want to put my hand up to something that ‘may’ lead to the lowering of nitrates but also ‘may’ lead to the decimation of the agricultural community in Pembrokeshire.”

Cllr Sue Perkins agreed the way forward was a compromise to improve both.

Deputy Leader Cllr Keith Lewis proposed an amendment that the Director of Development be granted delegated authority to amend the proposed response to Welsh Government to reflect the concerns raised by Cabinet in terms of the impact of the proposals on the agricultural sector and Welsh speaking communities; and that a supporting letter be sent to Welsh Government setting out the position in Pembrokeshire.

Referring to the December 23 deadline for responses, Cllr George: “We’ve got 25 days to save the agricultural industry in Pembrokeshire, that’s the truth of it.”

Chief Executive Ian Westley sounded a word of caution, that other members of the public may have an opposite view to the agricultural industry.

Members agreed to Cllr Lewis’s amendment.