Meeting Notes
Present
Cllr June Lumley (Chairperson) (JL) - Rochford District Council
Keith Powell (Vice Chairman) (KP) - Business, Maritime Community/ Independent
Cllr Glen Dryhurst (GD) Ashingdon - Parish Council
Cllr Alan Shearring (AS) - South Woodham Ferrers Town Council
Dave Record (DR) - 3 Chambers (Hockley, Rayleigh & Rochford)
Ken Wickham (KW) - Crouch Harbour Authority
Helen Quinnell (HQ) - Chelmsford City Council
Cllr Mrs Laureen Shaw (LS) - Rochford District Council
Robert Brown (RB) - Baltic Wharf Distribution
Paula Chapman (PC) - Rochford District Council
Rachel Fancy (RF) - RSPB
Angela Hutchings (AH) - Rochford District Council
Cllr David Flack (DF) - Hullbridge Parish Council
Apologies
Cllr Dave Sperring - Rochford District Council
Cllr Bob Calver - Burnham Crouch Town Council
Cllr Paul White - Hullbridge Parish Council
Doug MacEwen (DM) - Crouch Area Yachting Federation
Alexis Corless (AC) - Maldon District Council
Absent
John Lindsay - Environment Agency
Darren Braine & David Overton - Natural England
Cllr Mike Halford - Canewdon Parish Council
Cllr Mark Bassenger - Maldon District Council
Cllr Roy Hart - Battlesbridge Business
No nomination received - Rettendon Parish Council
No nomination received - Burnham Chamber of Commerce
Notes
Helen Lock
Duration
10:00 till 10:53
Note 30/21
Welcome and Introductions
Cllr Lumley welcomed members to the Steering Group and introductions were made.
Note 31/21
Notes of the Last RCCCT Steering Group Meeting Held on 14 September 2021 and Matters Arising
The notes were agreed as a correct record.
No matters arising.
Note 32/21
Working Group Updates
Footpaths Group
KP apologised that due to various circumstances the Footpaths Group had been unable to make any progress and the situation remained as at the Notes from 14 September 2021. Sadly, co-operation from ECC Highways had not been forthcoming. Alexis Corless (AC) was to try and make arrangements for someone from the Planning Department to speak to the group, as they would have local knowledge of the route for the proposed coast-to-coast project. It was hoped that this can be arranged following the AGM.
Action: AC to arrange a meeting with the Planning Department.
Digital Group
KP advised that the Group has unfortunately not made any progress since the last Steering Group meeting. The Chair of the Digital Group is with Maldon District Council and there had been a change in the representative from Maldon District Council. There is now access to the Government sponsored Coastal Communities Team website where official documentation would be placed. The Digital Group would concentrate on co-operating with Visit Essex for a co-ordinated approach.
AH would make enquiries as to whether the Chair of the Digital Group will continue to be with Maldon District Council, or if a new project team lead was required.
Action: AH to enquire whether the Chair of the Digital Group was to remain with Maldon District Council.
Water Safety at Hullbridge
AH reported on the recent successful meeting which had included colleagues from Essex Police, Rochford District Council Emergency Planning and Community Safety Officers. A campaign would be prepared in readiness for Easter 2022 to provide education on poor water safety, to foster and promote good water safety and to create a culture of providing evidence to prosecuting authorities. Another meeting was to be held in mid-December to agree both the messaging and the assets. AH thanked Rachel from RSPB and Essex Wildlife Trust. Colleagues from Essex Fire & Rescue, Coastguard and RNLI had also been involved. The challenge would be around funding to support the work. The working group has been asked to undertake a stakeholder mapping exercise to identify potential funds. DM would join the next meeting to help promote this within the sailing community and it was hoped to share key messages with the next meeting of the Steering Group.
In response to a question AH agreed that there was an opportunity to reach out to stakeholders for funding and/or sponsorship.
Action: To report back to the next Steering Group meeting with outcomes from the Water Safety at Hullbridge meeting.
Post meeting update: Water Safety at Hullbridge meeting will be held on 14 December 2021.
Note 33/21
Update on Path to Prosperity Project
PC provided an update for Rochford. The AGM report contained the latest information. There is good traction on the three trails around Rochford which consist of a short circular trail, a wider circular trail and Wallasea Island which has been added with help from RF. PC would like to add Hullbridge as an additional trail, but this will need to wait until the coastal path route is finalised. These walks are going well and we are the busiest in the county for coastal walks (Hullbridge Parish Council do receive footfall data from the counter). The walks are busy during the week as well as weekends. Some days record 6,000 (it is a linear walk, so will count twice). This usage highlights even more the need for the Water Safety campaign. Unfortunately, there has been a delay in production of the videos caused by a lack of resource. However, these are currently being edited and will be brought back to the Steering Group soon. PC pointed out that funding for the Path to Prosperity finishes in March 2022.
HQ commented that it had recently been ascertained that funding could be utilised until the end of this financial year. Some funding that has not already been allocated would be used towards another Information Board at Fenn Creek. HQ thanked South Woodham Sailing Club for hosting an event on 9 November. A lot of stakeholders had been present at this and were shown the (almost final) edit of the boards that would be located towards the Fambridge stretch of the river. Feedback had been received and some adjustments made. There would be a press release once these were installed, including some photographs of the information boards in situ. HQ thanked everyone involved and was pleased with the outcome. It was hoped that the promotional videos would be finalised shortly.
JL commented that progress was pleasing, but agreed it was disappointing that the videos had been delayed. Hopefully there would be good news to share shortly.
AS thanked HQ for arranging the event at South Woodham Yacht Club which had been a success.
PC provided an update on behalf of AC – she was currently working on editing the videos. AC was also working on social media assets by producing tiles to be put out on social media platforms that would promote the River Crouch coastal area on behalf of all three local authorities.
JL thanked PC and HQ for the updates.
Note 34/21
RSPB Wallasea Island - Latest Development
RF provided an update as follows:
- There was a new viewing mound just off the Beagle trail. South Essex RSPB have provided funding for a couple of benches which have now been installed. Canewdon Parish Council have agreed to provide funding for another bench which will be on the seawall path just by the reserve.
- People continue to use and enjoy the geocache at the Beagle viewing point and this will remain there for another 18 months. Following that, although the link will be removed from the website, the geocache will remain in situ.
- Thanks to AH and the Water Safety Group for including disturbance to wildlife as part of the messaging on water safety.
PC requested the link to the geocache website so it can be promoted on Discover 2020.
Action: RF to provide link to geocache website to PC
Note 35/21
DEFRA Seal Signs
PC provided an update. She has been approached by a group that can access DEFRA funding for signage for the protection of seals. The group had offered to come out to community groups/schools about protecting seals and their environment.
The requirement for and location of signage was discussed by the Steering Group.
AS commented that members of the public were interested in the seals and asked that signage be put in sites where seals may be disturbed. He requested if it was possible to promote signage on Facebook/Town Council Websites. PC will liaise with HQ and discuss accessing the relevant Parish Councils about this.
GD advised that seals can be seen at Brandy Hole, Bridgemarsh and all of the creeks.
KW commented that the majority of sites where seals collect in the Roach are not approachable by land. The nursery is well into the creek in Foulness Island. There is concern that people looking for seals at Paglesham may wander on to the saltings which is private property. Unfortunately, a sign was put on the gate in error which was vandalised.
PC asked GD about access. Brandy Hole would open up once the coast path is agreed by the Secretary of State. Bridgemarsh has public footpaths around the northern coast of the creek. Furthermore, eventually additional footpaths will be opened up.
PC will approach Essex Highways following this discussion regarding the placing of signage around Brandy Hole and Bridgemarsh, together with some of the creek areas.
GD confirmed that the Footpaths Group would be very keen to promote this. Part of the northern part of the footpath at Fenn Creek has been avoided by Natural England, although the South Woodham Ferrers part of this is a public footpath.
RF confirmed that RSPB have their our own signage up, but this may be adapted to reflect the DEFRA wording.
AS – signs are for areas where seals haul themselves out on to mudbanks/sandbanks etc. AS advised that there is no hauling out of seals at Brandy Hole or Bridgemarsh and that this only happens in isolated areas. He expressed the opinion that signage should be kept to areas where there were potential problems.
DR advised that he has contacts in scouting and guiding at Canewdon and Ashingdon and was willing to approach these groups, together with similar groups on the north side in order to arrange talks from PC’s contact regarding protecting wildlife.
KW advised that the Environment Agency (EA) are currently involved in work around Brandy Hole and the sea wall is not very safe at the moment. There have been delays to this work, but it was progressing and is likely to last a few more months. It is unlikely that there will be seals there until the work is completed.
It was agreed that PC would provide her contact’s details to DR so that he can arrange community talks.
Action: PC to approach relevant Parish Councils and Essex Highways
regarding signage for protection of seals.
Action: PC to provide DR with contact details for person who will give
community talks. DR to pass those details on to the relevant people.
Note 36/21
Flood Projections to 2050
DF had requested this item as he had concerns about flood projections to 2050. The map provided showed sea levels and the threat to the coastal path around the whole district of Rochford, but particularly in the Crouch and the Roach. There were concerns about habitats along the riverbank and also the danger to the seawall. DF requested that the Steering Group look at forward projections and also conduct some research in to the possible long-term effects to both wildlife and humans.
AH commented that in relation to habitats RF probably has information she could share and we can also reach out to Essex Wildlife Trust. As far as flooding predictions were concerned, this would be for ECC as the flood authority to provide. AH offered to contact ECC about this.
KW advised that there have been high tides recently and that in light of this the Crouch Harbour Authority had put out warnings and requests for power boats to cut down speeds near the seawalls, due to concerns about topping the seawall. The EA have sealed the gate at Paglesham as there had been water reaching to around halfway up the gate – this was around a foot below the top of the sea wall. The increase in occurrence of these events is worrying. AH agreed that she would contact the EA about this issue.
AS was of the opinion that the map is worst-case scenario that doesn’t take into account sea walls and other defences. The EA has a document which details which seawalls will be maintained.
KW agreed that the document referred to was interesting and that the sea walls at Paglesham had a predicted life of 15 years. The document was produced well before Wallasea Island was even thought about and we were told it would take the surge out of the incoming tides. He had concerns that the problem would increase in years to come.
RF advised that she was in possession of a map which shows the lifespan of sea walls and would share this with the Steering Group (to be circulated with the meeting Minutes). As far as habitats are concerned, the salt marsh around the sea wall is likely to be lost with sea level rise.
DF advised that the map was the median case scenario rather than the worst-case scenario. However, the worst-case is accelerating year on year. Current predictions are a conservative estimate and all flood return periods are being reduced by sea level rises. DF considered that it is very important that the Steering Group look at this. He also considered that tanking is relevant and with regard to Brandy Hole, the breach in the sea wall wasn’t repaired as it was hoped it would form a natural tanking area to reduce flow from high tide. The situation is very serious and needs looking into.
AH summarised as follows:
AH will liaise with RF offline to capture materials that provide the wider context; she will contact ECC for flood updates and up-to-date data and will reach out to the EA for an update on sea wall maintenance.
KW commented that QinetiQ spent £5m raising the sea wall around their property at Foulness Island in recent years and this shows their willingness to invest in protecting the sea walls.
JL asked if DF was now the Member for Hullbridge PC. DF will discuss this with the Parish Clerk and ask them to contact the Steering Group to confirm the representation from Hullbridge PC.
Action: AH to liaise with RF offline in relation to materials providing wider context of this issue.
Action: AH to contact ECC for flood predictions and up-to-date data in the area.
Action: AH to contact the Environment Agency regarding sea wall maintenance.
Action: DF to discuss with Hullbridge Parish Clerk representation on the Steering Group for Hullbridge Parish Council.
Note 37/21
Date of Next Meeting
Tuesday 1 March 2022 or Tuesday 8 March 2022 (to be confirmed).
Cllr Lumley thanked all for their attendance and for the progress being made.