The leader of Cherwell District Council has written to the government urging action after 'forever chemicals' were found at significantly elevated levels in a stream near RAF Upper Heyford in Oxfordshire. The independent testing revealed concentrations of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) that were 43,000 times higher than environmental standards.
Lesley McLean, leader of Cherwell District Council, has formally requested a meeting with the water and flooding minister, Emma Hardy, to discuss the contamination. In her letter, McLean also proposed that Heyford Park and its surrounding area be designated as a priority monitoring site for PFAS.
"I'm calling on all national and local agencies to pull together urgently to understand exactly what the health concerns are and agree what immediate actions are required to ensure this matter is properly understood," McLean stated. "I hope Emma Hardy MP responds positively to my request for a meeting and can help bring about a comprehensive multi-agency response."
Local campaigners have previously advocated for immediate testing of the population and the environment to ascertain the full extent of the pollution and its potential health implications. The discovery at the former Royal Air Force base has intensified calls for a thorough investigation and a coordinated response from various agencies.
