Date agreed for public meeting over unpleasant smells in Seaton Carew

Residents have been invited to an evening drop-in surgery, where they will get a chance to put their questions to representatives of the Environment Agency, as well as Hartlepool Borough Council environmental officers.

The event, which will also be attended by ward councillors Sue Little, Gordon Cranney and Leisa Smith, will take place at Hornby Park, in Elizabeth Way, on Friday, March 18.

During the meeting, the Environment Agency and the council will explain the protocol around dealing with complaints and the different sites each runs, with residents being able to ask questions as well.

Councillor Sue Little has urged residents to come along, adding that she hopes the meeting will result in an improved hotline system to make logging complaints about the smells easier.

Councillor Little said: “Hopefully the protocol will be explained to us all and then residents can ask questions and how things are being rectified and improved.”

She added: “Come the end of this month, the wind changes direction again. We’re changing seasons, so the smells will die down. Hopefully they’ll get all these little issues sorted out for the wind direction changes again in September.

"From September to March I find it’s a smelly season because the wind changes direction.”

The public meeting was organised after residents raised concerns about sulfur-like smells in their neighbourhood – with “absolutely loads” of residents complaining about the matter.

The smells have been described as similar to cat litter, baby nappies and sulfur – but Cllr Little has said that the Environment Agency provided reassurance during an online meeting at the end of January that the odours are not toxic.

She has explained she receives more complaints about the issue from September onwards, with most complaints coming from the areas near Elizabeth Way, Westerdale Road, Commondale Drive and Kildale Grove.

Councillor Little said: “We need to breathe in good quality air. Come down to this meeting, because we all need to be in this together to fight, to get things done.

"Come along and voice your concerns.”

The meeting will last around one hour and will start at 5.30pm.

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