Saltburn sewage leak: Redcar and Cleveland Council denies liability

The broken sewer pipe led to the closure of Saltburn's Cat Nab car park

A council whose workmen severed a sewer pipe and caused the closure of a beach has denied liability for the leak.

Northumbrian Water said the clear-up bill was at least £420,000 after the spill in February during work on Saltburn's Cat Nab car park.

Redcar and Cleveland Council has denied liability for the leak and said the matter was being dealt with by its insurers.

The water firm said £420,000 was an estimated bill and not the final claim.

Damage to the pipe caused part of the beach to be cordoned off as sewage flowed into a beck and the sea beyond.

The water company carried out engineering work over several weeks to repair the damage.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) submitted a Freedom of Information request to the council asking for more information about the incident.

The local authority said it had relied on a project design drafted by a third party external contractor with council operatives subsequently damaging the pipe during piling work, when foundations are drilled or bored into the ground.

The LDRS was previously told the final bill for the remedial work could be £1.2m, although this figure was provided independently and not directly by either of the two parties concerned.

Patrick Rice, the council's corporate director for adults and communities, commissioned an investigation to be undertaken by its auditors Veritau.

It focused on the contractor's involvement, the factors in the lead up and during the works and the response of council officers and Northumbrian Water.

Northumbrian Water said the cost of £420,000 was an estimate and not a final claim

Asked to detail the findings, the council said releasing the information could "prejudice the administration of justice" and it would produce a report at a later date.

In a statement, the council said it had reported the sewage leak promptly to Northumbrian Water.

"The outcome [of the investigation] will be reported to the cabinet in due course but, in the meantime, actions are being taken to avoid a similar incident.

"The council has recently received an estimated claim for costs of £420,000 from Northumbrian Water, which has been passed to our insurers." 

A spokesman for the water company said its final expense claim was still in the process of being worked out.