Meeting Notes
Present
Cllr June Lumley (JL) - Rochford District Council
Angela Hutchings (AH) - Rochford District Council
Paula Chapman (PC) - Rochford District Council
Cllr George Ioannou (IG) - Rochford District Council
Helen Quinnell (HQ) - Chelmsford City Council
Cllr Glen Dryhurst (GD) - Ashingdon Parish Council
Andrew St Joseph (ASJ) - Essex Coastal Owners
Michael Hoy (MH) - Resident
Ken Wickham (KW) - Crouch Harbour Authority
Angelina Marriott (AM) - Hullbridge Parish Council
Keith Powell (KP) - Independent
Jack Ellum (JE) - Maldon District Council
Rachel Fancy (RF) - RSPB
Apologies
Cllr Keith Ager - Hullbridge Parish Council
Cllr Adrian Fluker - Maldon District Council
Cllr Elaine Bamford - Maldon District Council
Louise Best - Resident
Dave Smith - Crouch Yacht Club
Clerk - Canewdon Parish Council
Dominique Keogh - Essex County Council
Cllr Wendy Stamp - Burnham Town Council
Kate Barke - Essex Marina
Doug MacEwen - Crouch Area Yachting Federation Clubs
Phil Sturges - Natural England
Paul Wilkins - Azzurro Marketing
Beverly Davies - Essex RCC
Elizabeth Rose - Essex RCC
Diane Hoy - Resident
Welcome, Quorum & Introductions
1) The Vice-Chair welcomed members of the River Crouch Coastal Community Team (RCCCT) to the meeting advising of the change of the Accountable Body from Maldon District Council to Rochford District Council which was agreed in July.
2) It was noted that Mr Dave Smith of the Crouch Yacht Club has resigned from the River Crouch Coastal Community Team.
Update since last meeting (Paula Chapman)
3) PC has received information that Dean Border, current Chair of RCCCT is no longer working at Baltic Wharf which is our only means of contacting him. No other communication from him has been received and it was agreed that the group should agree new Chairmanship at this meeting.
4) The fixed term contract for the Maldon District Council resourced secretariat ended in June and post Maldon District Council’s restructure they advised they could no longer be the Accountable Body for the group. Rochford District Council reported this to its Full Council in July where it was agreed they would take over this accountability which includes the balance of grant monies held by MDC.
5) There is approximately £1500 balance left of the original £10k grant. Money has been spent on items such as a cycle feasibility report from Rochford rail station to Wallasea and Maldon District Council produced leaflets, signposting and an Economic Report for Coastal Community Team detailing work to be undertaken. It is now for members of the group to decide to how to go forward.
Establishment of new Terms of Reference (TOR) and Review of Chairmanship
6) AH acknowledged that the RCCT is an important group that has great value and having a body means funding can be applied for going forward. It was agreed that a roundtable discussion should be held on what the refreshed group should be and set objectives.
7) AH outlined three potential headings: Rural business economy and diversity, sustainable rural communities and protection of the environment and heritage.
8) MH stated he had no objection to the headings and given that the overall idea of the team is to maintain employment queried what stats were available on rural businesses and if a survey had been undertaken with them. AH responded that the group’s purpose is the preservation of rural business, employment and skills and linking into local people working locally and will continue to support businesses to accommodate this.
9) MH advised that coastal teams elsewhere link into tourism. It was agreed that Tourism would be added under the heritage section.
10) Managing coastal change (climate change, sea walls) shall be added to the objectives for the group as recommended by RF.
11) ASJ mentioned that the Planning department is a key link for farmers.
12) KW advised that businesses take one look at our infrastructure and are put off by our district. As a response to this AH added infrastructure to the objectives as it needs to be an enabler.
13) AM queried how many businesses will be attending the newly formed team. It was stated that the group has the power to decide who to invite but specific reasons for this should be provided to keep the group as productive as possible. MH would like to see a business representation from Hullbridge on the team and GD would like to see representation from South Woodham Ferrers and Battlesbridge Town Councils.
14) JE commented that as a MDC representative they would like to see the group outcome focussed, it being a method to achieve grants for the objectives, a key stakeholder and consultative body representing the needs and wants of the coastal community.
15) KW suggested having a ‘task and finish’ group membership focussed around specific projects. It was agreed that resources would be reviewed once delivery stage is reached.
16) The group discussed membership and the following suggestions were made:
- GD advised that DMacE would still like to be involved and could represent South Woodham Ferrers or the Sailing Clubs;
- A representative from the Chambers of Trade;
- Parishes – the group felt a single point of contact would work best and that perhaps Parish Clerks could attend or a representative from Rochford Hundred – although Burnham counterparts would need to be explored.
- JA stated MDC Councillors would expect to be offered a position as they cover half the geographical area of the group and as a major coastal town Burnham on Crouch would also expect membership.
- Representation from South Woodham Ferrers Town Council.
17) KP stated that the Management Group seemed to be voluntary – perhaps going forward a Managing Group could have a representative of the other groups with information filtered down by a Steering Group. This idea was agreed by the Team with an Annual General Meeting to be held once a year.
Action: Membership details to be composed and circulated for comment (AH)
Governance
18) It was agreed that the existing tor rules around quorum should be rolled forward.
19) It was suggested that an additional paragraph could be added to state that although the group is called River Crouch Coastal Community Team it is acknowledged that it includes all the contributories.
20) It was agreed the Steering Group would meet quarterly.
21) GI nominated JL as Chair of the RCCCT which was unanimously agreed.
22) The group agreed that the appointment to Vice-Chair should be made after the formation of the Steering Group and at the next meeting. The group agreed they would like to see a member of the business community appointed as Vice-Chair.
Suggestions for new business, including Coastal Community Plan
23) GD advised the group that he was involved in identifying a trail through Maldon and that Matt Wilson and Anglene have discussed a footway with Sustrans and investigations had been undertaken to identify land owners along sections of the old path. When funding for Anglene’s post expired, she handed the map to GD who has walked the route which he advised would be good for tourism, health, leisure, horses, dogs, people and children and is a link between two historic communities; Woodham Ferrers and Maldon.
24) JE advised that he is working on a project to take all printed walk leaflets (roughly 23 of them) and make them a digital resource. This could also happen for the proposed new trail if the leaflet, map and photographs could be supplied within the next 2-3 months.
25) ASJ reminded the group that checks needed to be made prior to leaflet production that permission has been given to change the pathway into bridleway where required.
26) Wallasea Island work for 2020 is going on outside of the group due to Rochford District Council’s partnership with RSPB.
27) PC updated the group with regard to a joint bid for £4.5m that ASELA submitted for ultrafast broadband. Rochford District Council identified 41 sites as hubs for connectivity ie docs surgery, local schools, where residents and businesses could connect to it. The project is ongoing and received funding and currently going through gateways to get the monies released. This will be beneficial for areas such as Canewdon and coastal areas that need fibre connection. Gigabit connection vouchers are available for businesses in those areas..
28) Both Rochford and Maldon District Councils are involved in commissioning a Economic Prospectus report for coastal areas that will be fed back to SELEP and central government. SELEP have noted the importance of coastal communities and will include a chapter on this in their Local Industrial Strategy. Rochford and Maldon have financially contributed to the prospectus so it will include detail specifically related to their areas. A draft is expected at the end of September which will be shared with the Group once received.
29) Essex County Council put in a bid to the Coastal Community Fund and were successful. PC provided a presentation from Nicky Spurr which was demonstrated at a recent Rochford District Council business breakfast (presentation below). The aim of Path to Prosperity is to promote the Essex coast and the coastal path that runs along it, as a high quality visitor destination with a diverse tourism offer thus achieving economic growth and the regeneration of Essex coastal communities through a wide range of activities.
30) ASJ raised a concern about maintenance of the coastal path and the worry that we could promote something that is not properly maintained going forward and therefore incur liability, should conditions of any advertised paths deteriorate. AM advised that Natural England were happy to help and have had discussions with the parish. Crushed up shells have been put down but smaller parishes such as Rawreth do not have a high precept, so they do not have the money or resources to maintain the footpaths. It was noted that concerns could be raised to the Flood Forum via GI and JL who are both members on the group. Agreement was made that a letter be sent from the group to raise concerns on footpath usage affecting sea walls. The letter shall also include how effective land owners can be with regard to support and going forward.
31) ASJ raised the fact landowners are reluctant to allow laybys on their land due to fly tipping issues. In response to this, PC advised the bid had some funding for a bus hopper service to encourage sustainable transport and cycle routes are being investigated.
32) MH queried how measures of success will be monitored. PC advised the information would be listed in Essex County Council’s bid and would be able to advise once information requested/researched.
Post meeting note: ECC has advised the following:
When we applied for CCF funding we were asked to describe the method/framework of how we would monitor and evaluate our project outcomes as a result of the activities and maps etc we are creating and hopefully encouraging more visitors to the Essex Coast. I also attach a background information document which you can freely share with your colleagues.
Here is a selection outlined to our funders and we are working on how to record it with our project delivery group partners:
- Efficient and robust project management will ensure that milestones are set at the outset and adhered to. Regular meetings and engagement of members of the Project Delivery Team will ensure thorough understanding of the different workstreams and progress is updated regularly to seek to ensure milestones being met.
- Numbers of participants on all customer service courses will be recorded with each learner asked to undertake end of course evaluation upon completion of their courses capturing their outcomes and where appropriate where they progress on to.
- Five people counters will be installed along the coast path as early as possible in the project, and numbers of walkers will be recorded to demonstrate increased numbers of users of our coastal footpaths.
- Numbers of participants in tourism events will be recorded (estimates where appropriate).
- UGObus passenger numbers will be logged each time we run the service for our project and reported weekly. (We are working with the Passenger Transport Unit to ascertain how we will implement this.)
- Surveys of UGObus customers will be undertaken to determine user feedback to help improve the service and to determine the level of charges that would be considered acceptable in the future.
With regard to the maintenance of the Essex Coastal Path (ECP) Essex Highways Public Rights of Way Team advised:
Defra currently have an agreement to fund 75% of the maintenance costs of the Trail itself it if its 25% match funded by the local authority. As the trail in Essex is around 84% public rights of way already, Essex County Council have a statutory duty to maintain them anyway. So yes, the ECP will be maintained.
Any Other Business
33) RF provided an update with regard to a bid for the Heritage Horizons Awards. This is a national lottery fund for promoting heritage through the coast. It is for grants of £5m and above. Other partners have been involved, such as Essex Wildlife Trust, Anglian Water and Essex and Suffolk Water. The Vision is still being developed and it will be introduced to a wider audience next week at a brainstorming session prior to the expression of interest being submitted by noon on 11 October 2019. ASJ suggested mini wetlands on every sluice along the way and RF agreed to submit this idea to the meeting next week.
34) RF will check Matt Wilson is involved with the bid on Maldon’s behalf.
35) JL thanked all attendees and PC and AH for facilitating the meeting.
Date of the next CCT meeting
36) Next meeting to be a special general meeting where the new team will be launched and Vice Chair selected. Meeting to be held in the Chamber, Rochford District Council, 2 Hockley Road, Rayleigh at 10:00 on Wednesday, 20 November 2019.