LOCAL residents are being asked for their views on how to improve and protect the water environment in the north west.

The draft River Basin Management Plan sets out plans for how water across the region will be looked after in the coming years, and the Environment Agency is asking people to have their say on how it will do this.

Steve Moore, Environment Agency director of operations for the North and East, said: “The Water Framework Directive gives us an important opportunity to make real improvements to the water environment.

“We value the views of others and know that river basin planning can only succeed if we work with local partners and take local action.

“We urge anyone with an interest in the water environment to take a look at the information about their local area in the consultation and let us know what they think.

“It is vital that people and organisations get involved in the consultation. This is your opportunity to influence the final plan and ensure that its contents are practical, achievable and effective for you and your interests.”

The consultation runs until April 10, 2015, and can be found at gov.uk/government/consultations.