About the River Thames Buckinghamshire Partnership
The River Thames and its surrounding chalkstreams and lakes are the defining features of our landscape, but our riverside communities are facing unprecedented pressures.
The Town and Parish
Councils River Partnership
The Town and Parish Councils River Partnership was founded in November 2025 to oversee the Buckinghamshire stretch of the Thames within our, Ward, Parish and Town Council areas of which we have responsibility.
Initiated by local leadership we are a non-party-political coalition dedicated to giving our waters and our residents a unified, persistent, and powerful voice.
Our Footprint & Scope
We bring together the riverside communities across the Chiltern Villages Ward (including Fawley, Hambleden, Medmenham, Great Marlow, and Little Marlow), alongside our neighbours in Marlow Town, Bourne End and Wooburn.
By uniting Town and Parish Councils, Buckinghamshire Councillors, local experts, and community stakeholders, we ensure that our stretch of the Thames is no longer managed in fragments, but protected with a wider unified voice.
High Priority:
Water Quality & Public Safety
Our Position: Clean water is a fundamental right for both the environment and the people who use it. We believe it should be a mandatory requirement that water quality data and notices of dangerous impurities are openly published where residents, swimmers, rowers, and recreational users can easily see them.
A core priority of this website is to act as a transparent information hub. We are actively working to source, track, and display real-time water quality metrics so our community can safely enjoy the river.
Our Core Challenges & Actions
We are tackling the multi-level issues facing our riverside communities by coordinating action on four key fronts:
Holding Water Companies Accountable
We act as a direct, rigorous liaison with Thames Water, demanding infrastructure investment, regulatory compliance, and a drastic reduction in sewage pollution incidents, such as those historically monitored at the Little Marlow Sewage Treatment Works.
Flood Risk
Coordination
We will work closely with the Environment Agency (EA) and the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) to better coordinate flood defences, manage agricultural run-off, and protect homes and businesses from rising waters.
Protecting Chalkstreams & Lakes
Our rare chalkstreams and local lakes are ecologically unique. We advocate for responsible development that respects and preserves these fragile aquatic habitats.
Maintaining River Infrastructure
A healthy river includes accessible banks. We champion the upkeep of our vital footpaths and towpaths so that our stunning river valley remains safe and open to all.
From Local Action to Parliament
While we operate independently of formal council-led ‘outside body’ committees, our goal is to ensure this partnership is formally recognised by Buckinghamshire Council as a key stakeholder and advisory group—giving the reports, data, and requests we submit maximum weight.
Our reach goes straight to Westminster. We work hand-in-hand with our local Members of Parliament, Joy Morrissey MP and Emma Reynolds MP, both of whom actively support our mission.
Together, we ensure that our local interests regarding Thames Water’s investment and compliance obligations are raised directly in Parliament and with relevant government departments, including DEFRA and the national Environment Agency.
We believe that true change happens when local expertise meets political will. Whether you are a resident, a citizen scientist, a recreational river user, or a parish councillor, your voice strengthens our collective impact.
Funded and supported by the Buckinghamshire Council West Chiltern Community Board. Non-party political.
