Manager urged for development of county's inland waterways

To build on the work done by long established volunteer groups and the more recent Coast, Wolds, Wetlands and Waterways Local Action Group, East Riding Council said a "waterways partnership co-ordinator" was now needed to enhance the preservation, restoration and maintenance of historic waterways in the borough.

A report to the council's greater prosperity overview and scrutiny committee on Thursday warns the region will miss out on potential economic benefits from its water assets without a new tier of oversight to bring together various individual projects.

The report, by director of planning and economic regeneration Alan Menzies, said: "Although there are enthusiastic organisations and individuals with knowledge of particular waterways their expertise has never been co-ordinated to produce and agreed strategy covering the whole of the area.

"They have to deal exclusively with their own issues, for example, navigation or restoration, environment and biodiversity, flood and water management or land management, and don't have the opportunity to share a common purpose with the wider community.

"The result is that they may miss out on the financial and other advantages of collaboration, especially when negotiating with public bodies at regional or Government level."

Much of the work in preserving, restoring and maintaining the waterways has only been achieved through the work of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers, the report said.

It continued: "For these reasons, it has become evident that the post of co-ordinator is vital to the success of the partnership, both in terms of supporting the growth of the partnership itself and in terms of developing the wider linkages...to the benefit of local residents.

"In fact, it is unlikely that the partnership would progress in any significant way without this post."

The council was given more than 3m in 2007 by the Government and the European Union to set up the Coast, Wolds, Wetlands and Waterways group, and funding for the post would come from this, subject to the approval of the group.

A salary has not been set but it is intended the post would be full-time on a fixed-term temporary contract, starting in September.

The inland water assets in the area include Driffield Navigation and the River Hull; the Aire, Calder, Don, Dutch and Ouse rivers in the Goole area; the Gypsey Race, a chalk stream running both above and below ground from Wharram le Street to Bridlington; Hedon Haven; Hornsea Mere; Market Weighton Canal; Pocklington Canal; and the River Derwent.

Their functions include a range of commercial, leisure and drainage uses and most have associated infrastructure in varying states of repair.

The locks on Driffield Canal have all been restored, although the Skerne Road bridge at Wansford prevents navigation along the entire length of the canal.

The Gypsey Race is the only surface stream on the High Wolds and is a valuable wildlife habitat.

Hedon Haven was closed in the early 1970s and has no other use than providing drainage, although there are proposals to excavate it and redevelop the site to include a marina.

At the other end of the scale, Hornsea Mere, the largest natural lake in Yorkshire, is already a popular tourist attraction.