Derbyshire environment councillors have recommended that angling should return to Wingerworth Lido after a controversial decision to withdraw a fishing club’s tenancy at a beauty spot sparked a public backlash.
North East Derbyshire District Council withdrew Clay Cross Angling Association’s tenancy at the Wingerworth Lido during concerns for the area’s biodiversity but following complaints from some councillors and the angling club its Environment Scrutiny Committee reviewed the future of the site at a meeting on December 8 and recommended the council’s Cabinet allow angling to return in the short-term and eventually in the long-term.
Independent Councillor, Ross Shipman, who has campaigned for angling to be returned to the lido, said: “It is a window of opportunity to return the lido to what the public want.
“Possibly it will deliver what the public want and some return to angling and improve biodiversity and hopefully a consultation will play a key role in that.”
The future of angling at Wingerworth Lido came under review after angler James Duffy organised an online petition for the reinstatement of fishing rights at the pond which attracted over 5,000 signatures and after Independent councillors, Ross Shipman and David Hancock, raised concerns along with the Angling Trust and the Countryside Alliance.
Labour-controlled North East Derbyshire District Council originally issued a formal six-month ‘notice to quit’ in December, 2024, to the fishing club, after considering the views of its Asset Management Board and a letter was received from the club in January, 2025, acknowledging the correspondence, and the lease formally ended on June 30, 2025.
But the council agreed in September to review its original decision to withdraw the angling club’s tenancy and to launch a consultation due to growing public concern and while Cllrs Shipman and Hancock claimed the council’s Asset Management Board had originally made a decision without a consultation and that the AMB had exceeded its powers in the decision-making process.
However, the council’s Monitoring Officer Sarah Sternberg stated the decision for the council to review and launch a consultation was ‘lawful and remains entirely valid’ after she explained that AMB decisions or views work as an executive function so that the council can then make suggestions and recommendations based on these for the final decision-making body, which is the cabinet, to consider.
Ms Sternberg added that the AMB was involved in the original decision-making process to withdraw the angling club’s tenancy and had formed a view but not before any final decision was made by the council.
However, results following a recent council-organised consultation revealed that 70per cent of respondents support a return to fishing at the lido after 1,174 people took part in the survey including residents and other concerned parties.
The Environment Scrutiny Committee has now also agreed a raft of recommendations based on what is best for the lido and its biodiversity including the possible short-term and long-term return of angling for the council’s Cabinet to consider and decide upon at a pending meeting.
Committee Chairperson, Cllr Caroline Smith, said the response from the consultation shows there is strong support to bring back angling in some form with concerns for the biodiversity of the lido.
She added that there are very few people who think angling and biodiversity cannot work together at the lido but to achieve improvements there will need to be a collaborative approach with all interested parties including Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and the Friends of Wingerworth Lido community group.
The council had originally grown concerned about the lido after receiving complaints over certain activities and the council’s Assistant Director of Property Estates and Assets, Damien Johnson, confirmed at the committee meeting the authority had received complaints about the death of cygnets and the use of a blue dye at the pond as well as other activities.
However, a Freedom of Information request revealed that between 2022 and June, 2025, there were only three formal complaints and seven concerns were raised with the council regarding the lido and the three formal complaints were all during July, 2024.
Conservative Cllr Alex Dale said: “There needs to be a bringing together of the community. It has not been a good time for the people of Wingerworth and it’s clearly got heated at times and there is a need for a solution.”
He added: “It feels a little bit like that for 25 years we have let the Clay Cross Angling Association get on with it and as soon as the biodiversity issues emerged we pressed the nuclear button and did something quite dramatic.”
Cllr Dale also said: “On the whole, angling clubs do a very good job at maintaining our bodies of water and if anything the council has got a very good deal out of that without having to off-load that to another organisation.”
The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust is planning to carry out a habitat and water environmental survey and produce a biodiversity recovery plan while there is strong support for fishing to return to the lido alongside the formation of the Friends of Wingerworth Lido community group.
Hollie Fisher, of Wild Solutions which is a consultant for the DWT, told the meeting: “The main issue is not the angling, it’s the management of the site which we know has been declining for a few years and we have a lot of data on that.”
Council director Matthew Broughton said the authority has been working with the Angling Trust, the Friends of Wingerworth group and the DWT so all options are available including introducing an interim period to allow for fishing.
He added that the council does weekly inspections of the lido and checks are carried out for tree works and the angling association have been doing checks with the welfare of the fish and the water.
Conservative Cllr Carolyn Renwick also told the meeting that angling clubs are often key participants with conservation but she urged the committee to be conscious of the cost implications with its recommendations.
Green Party Cllr Frank Adlington-Stringer said: “What’s clear to me is the community wants to come back together and end this divisiveness and make the best of its assets.”
The scrutiny committee’s recommendations for the Cabinet to decide upon include: Looking at an interim arrangement for angling with council officers, the DWT, the parish council and the Angling Trust; To explore example cases where angling, conservation and biodiversity have worked alongside each other; To consider the long-term return of angling subject to biodiversity improvements; Support improving biodiversity at the site while considering budgetary implications; Consider the introduction of paths and signage and budgetary implications; And put together a group with stakeholders to be consulted.
Countryside Alliance spokesperson Mo Metcalf-Fisher said: “While this is extremely positive news, there’s still a way to go in securing angling at the site for the long term.
“We will work with anglers to make that case. There was never any justification for banning angling and we were right to fight this tooth and nail. Angling and nature go hand in hand. This would not have happened without the valiant efforts of the amazing local campaigners I’ve met.”
Angling Trust CEO Jamie Cook said the trust has worked with the council to explore options for the return of managed angling and it has provided successful examples of partnerships with wildlife trusts and angling at nature reserves.
Mr Cook said: “Throughout this process the sole focus of the Angling Trust has been to support Clay Cross Angling Association and to open a dialogue with NE Derbyshire District Council to explore options for the return of managed angling to Wingerworth Lido.”
Council Leader, Cllr Nigel Barker, has apologised to the angling community over the dispute concerning the controversial decision to withdraw the fishing club’s tenancy.
Clay Cross Angling Association Committee Member Andrew Parkin said he was pleased that fishing could be brought back in the interim and eventually in the long-term and that the fishing club will be considering the plans very closely.
Mr Parkin added: “The support from the Angling Trust and the angling community has been absolutely fantastic and I can’t thank them enough.
“The public consultation results also showed just how much backing the club had from local people, and it’s great that the councillors have finally listened and done the right thing.
“For over 25 years our members have put their heart and soul into caring for Wingerworth Lido, and it was devastating when the decision was made to terminate our lease without good reason.
“We are now looking forward as a club to putting all this behind us and working in partnership with NE Derbyshire District Council and the local community to make Wingerworth Lido a place for everyone to enjoy.”
The Environment Scrutiny Committee also considered ideas from councillors concerning the AMB to ensure against any similar disputes in the future.
Cllr Smith told the meeting it has been said that everything had been done according to the correct steps and processes after officers, legal advisers and members were consulted and the angling club had been informed, but Cllr Dale said he thinks there is a need for a review of governance around the AMB.
