A CITY councillor has petitioned the Environment Agency regarding the state of the river running through the centre of Truro.

Cllr Bert Biscoe (Independent, Moresk and Trehaverne) expressed “great concern” over the increasing amount of detritus gathering in the River Allen between the Old and New Bridges, including “trolleys, cones, a growing collection of brash and broken bits of trees from upstream”.

In a letter to the Environment Agency, he said: “I feel enforcement, maintenance and cleaning is urgently needed. The Environment Agency has done wonders in revitalising the river, and all that work seems to be at risk.”

He suggested the lack of care of the waterway was affecting local flora and fauna. “This year, there is a marked lack of birdlife. One would expect to see wagtails, occasional kingfishers and larger birds – gulls, petrels, ducks, swans, an occasional egret and very occasionally a vacationing cormorant,” he said.

“All one sees at the moment are pigeons, mainly living in the walls and undoubtedly undermining their structural integrity, slowly but surely, aided by the abundant rodent life which Truro supports.”

Cllr Biscoe also highlighted a large fig tree hanging over the back wall from St Mary’s Street, “preventing sunlight reaching water in the lee of the bridge which is a favoured lingering place for grey mullet … and trout”.

Of the nearby millpool, Cllr Biscoe said: “This is badly silted and in need of dredging before winter … it would be prescient to be getting on with this, and checking the level of siltation in the Kenwyn culvert under River Street, which caused flooding in 1988.”

Cllr Biscoe claimed the Riverside Walk and the car park opposite is owned and managed by Cornwall Council, making the local authority the riparian owner responsible for maintenance.

His letter concludes: “The harbour below Boscawen Bridge is currently being dredged. It would be carelessly counter-productive to see the harbour receiving the detritus which is currently congesting the River Allen.”

Cllr Biscoe told Truro Voice: “I want the Environment Agency to do what it has to do - dredge the millpool, make sure that Cornwall Council does what it must do as riparian owner, and see that sustainable arrangements are put in place to keep things properly in order going forward.

“The River Allen also needs sorting out between Furniss Island the back of Halfords. It is for the Environment Agency to get the right people to do the things that need to be done - Cornwall Council, Truro City Council, Halfords, LiveWest, whoever. Let's sort this out.”

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency confirmed the letter had been received and would be responded to, adding: “We are unable to comment until a response has been provided to the councillor.”

A Cornwall Council spokesperson said: “We are one of a number of landowners who own or manage sections of land next to the River Allen. The Environment Agency has statutory authority for the river, and we have not been contacted regarding concerns that riparian responsibilities are not being fulfilled on land that we own or manage.”