Fay Jones has this week attended a roundtable event to discuss actions to improve water quality in the River Wye.

The event was attended by Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Thérèse Coffey, alongside representatives from Welsh Water, Lee Waters MS, Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Powys and Monmouthshire County Councils, and members of the farming community.

The roundtable sought to discuss local concerns and ongoing implementation of actions to address the status of the river, particularly in light of its impact on wildlife.

Hosting the meeting, the Environment Secretary set out how restoring the Wye was a priority for both her and all of those in attendance and outlined how it was important to address each river catchment according to its unique pressures, as part of a consistent approach across the country.

She told those gathered that as part of the government’s Plan for Water and farming schemes, a wide range of support is available to farmers in the River Wye catchment, and across the country, to expedite their transition to more sustainable agricultural practices and reduce pollution.

MP for Brecon and Radnorshire Fay Jones said: "It was fantastic to join the Environment Secretary, representatives of the Welsh Government, Welsh Water and members of the farming community for a meeting I have wanted for a very long time

"The River Wye flows from Wales, into England, and back again, so it is essential to have a cross-border approach to its pollution issues and that had to start with a proper meeting of all parties.

"I think the arguments were heard but what I will continue to call for is a cross-border taskforce jointly chaired by both Ministers to tackle this critical issue.”