Mersey Basin Campaign: a partnership approach to river basin management

The Mersey Basin Campaign was established as one of the series initiatives, launched in the wake of riots in Liverpool, that were designed to kick start regeneration of England’s Northwest. At the time the Secretary of State for the Environment, Michael Heseltine called the River Mersey ”an affront to the standards a civilised society should demand of its environment". It was recognised that a combination of public, private voluntary sector action was necessary, leading to the Mersey Basin Campaign partnership being formed in 1985. This partnership has developed since its inception, with changes in the governance structure of the Campaign creating wider participation from business, academia, community and voluntary groups. The partnership of the Mersey Basin Campaign brings together disparate groups and sectors to work together towards a shared mission. Today, the Mersey and its tributaries are cleaner than at any time since the industrial revolution. The transformation of the River Mersey has been supported by a combination of major investment and genuine partnership working at regional and local level.