Solent Water Quality Association

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TERMS OF REFERENCE AND CONSTITUTION as at July 2002

1. TERMS OF REFERENCE

· To support and complement the work of Local Authorities, the Environment Agency and other agencies in protecting and improving the quality of coastal waters for recreational and other human uses, and for flora and fauna.

· To promote the attainment of environmental standards applicable to all waters of the Solent including estuaries and harbours and to promote the improvement of standards if considered inadequate.

· To receive and consider the results of monitoring water quality in the Solent to make annual Awards to those sites complying with national standards and to publicise them on site or elsewhere, as appropriate.

· To maintain regular liaison between local authorities, the Environment Agency and Southern Water Services and other relevant agencies concerning the water quality and the coastal environment in the Solent and adjacent waters.

· To consider the environmental impact of: sewage effluent; other discharges, including industrial; and other environmental pollutants on the Solent and adjacent waters and its flora and fauna.

· To publicise the work of the Solent Water Quality Association and the substance of its discussions.

· To sponsor and support research into water quality in the coastal environment.

2. CONSTITUTION

Membership

Core member organisations of the Association will be:

County Councils

Unitary Authorities Borough and District Councils of Hampshire, West Sussex and the Isle of Wight

Harbour authorities

Environment Agency.

Other representatives may attend as observers.

Applications for membership from authorities outside this area will be considered.

Affiliated member organisations will include local authorities adjacent to the Solent area, Southern Water Services, the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, CEFAS, Public Health Laboratory Services, English Nature, the Royal Navy, Sea Fisheries Services and any other organisations with a valid interest in the Association, subject to approval.

Meetings

The Association shall meet at least annually on such date as may be agreed by the Secretary and Chairman and may convene such other meetings as it may determine, and may hold conferences, seminars or workshops as and when considered relevant and topical.

Chairman

The Association shall elect a Chairman annually from its local authority member representatives and chairmanship will normally rotate annually.

Administrative Support

The administration of the routine business of the Association and the Officers' Working Group shall be undertaken by the Solent Forum Officers. In organising conferences, seminars and workshops the Solent Forum Officers are to be assisted as and when necessary by officers of member organisations. Secretarial expenses incurred by the Solent Forum Officers may be reclaimed from the Association's budget, subject to the agreement of the Officers Working Group.

Officers' Working Group

An Officers' Working Group (OWG) shall support and advise the Association and carry out its business. Each core member shall be represented on the OWG and Affiliated members may be co-opted as and when necessary. The Chairman of the OWG shall be elected by the Group. The OWG shall meet at such frequency as may be necessary to deal adequately with the business of he Association.

Financial Arrangements

Constituent authorities and bodies shall be responsible for the expenses incurred in the attendance of their members/officers at meetings of the Association and the Officers' Working Group.

The Association will aim to cover any expenditure that it incurs from fees charged to delegates attending conferences, seminars and workshops.

The budget will be managed by the Solent Forum Officers, who will maintain the Association's account separate from other Solent Forum business, and who will present statements of account at least once a year to core members

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