MP's 'Penrith Pong' public meeting welcomed by former town councillor and local campaign

The Penrith and Solway MP's decision to meet residents to discuss the "Penrith Pong" has been welcomed by a local environmental campaigner.

"At long last an elected representative is going to listen to the people," said Jeff Thomson of the Fresh AIR for Penrith campaign.”

Penrith & Solway MP Markus Campbell Savours announced he will hold a public meeting in Castletown to hear residents views, concerns and experiences, of the Penrith 'pong'. The public meeting will be held at 7pm, Thursday 25th September at Castletown Community Centre.

“This is an odour pollution problem which has affected the Penrith area for many years. Annually for the past two years, the regulatory body, the Environment Agency, has received over 1000 odour complaints from the Penrith area”.

“The Fresh AIR for Penrith campaign was instigated by Thomson, as a community-led campaign, about five years ago and has grown in strength through social media and regular and extensive press, radio and tv coverage.”

"We have highlighted the odour problem and made sure the authorities have not been able to ignore the impact it has on peoples' lives," said Thomson.

In Spring this year, Markus Campbell Savours MP carried out an online 'pong' survey which received over 250 responses. He is now to hear peoples' views direct at the public meeting.

This is the first meeting hosted for the public, since Thomson held a 'residents against the pong', meeting in Castletown in July 2023. That was attended by over 100 local people plus press and tv. At that time Thomson was an independent Penrith Town councillor, a role he resigned after just seven months in the role.

 "Being part of the local government system, even as an elected independent town councillor, was an obstruction to free speech and a barrier to getting anything done about the 'pong' odour nuisance.”

"Fingers crossed, we now have an MP who is taking the issue seriously and committing himself to listening to residents and finding a solution," said Thomson.

As part of the Fresh AIR for Penrith campaign, Thomson has been in regular dialogue with Markus Campbell-Savours MP,  the Environment Agency, and Westmorland and Furness Council environmental health.

"This public meeting gives residents the opportunity to make their views known direct to their elected MP. We have never had this opportunity before. I hope the MP will leave the meeting with the message 'we have had enough'," said Thomson.

While, there has been a considerable amount of controversy and speculation about the odour source, Thomson says residents should be able to speak freely about where they believe the odour originates.

"We need the principle source formally identified, the offender to own up, and action taken, either by themselves or through enforcement. The law may even have to be changed, but we want fresh clean air, not 'pong' air," said Thomson.