MINUTES OF THE STORT VALLEY PROJECT MEETING

8th FEBRUARY 2000

HELD AT SAYSBURY MANOR SAWBRIDGEWORTH 

 

PRESENT :  Steve Karn\ Warren Richards ( Acting Chairman)   

Monya Billings Burt Puncher(Sbw A/S)

Ted Burrow   Michael Brown

John Rider  Tony Vider (Sbw A/S)

Diana Richards (Sbw Town Council)

Jonathan Wilshaw (CMS)

Peter Garrett (CMS) John Weekes

Hazel Mead  David Mead

David Thorogood (Agenda 21 EHDC)

Jacqueline Dore Stan Barker (Sheering PC) 

APOLOGIES : Lanier Pole

Joyce Vincent  Michael Vincent

Roger Beeching Mary Bayes (HCC)

Susan Clark (Rural Enterprise Project)

Irene Pollard  Brad Tooze

Louise Clark   Joan & Ted Willett

Liz Greenwood (landscape Officer EHDC)

MINUTES :

The minutes of the last meeting were distributed in good time and accepted by all at the meeting. 

MATTERS ARISING:

Warren R presented the following:

  1. The HCC Biological Records have supplied data on the types of flora on the site of the relief road and the Sbw flood plain. * ( Presently with David T)
  2. The Police Wildlife Liaison Officer, Inspector Steve Kourik (01707354506) gave suggestions on protection of the flood plain. * Our immediate response should be to report all incidents to the Sbw Station Sgnt, recording vehicle registrations when appropriate. Members thought notices and lockable gates should be pursued to control vehicle access on to the flood plain.
  3. Contact has been made with the Sbw Angling Society and we welcome the two members present. They advised that they had advertised for a bailiff without success and contact should be made with the Stort A/S, British Waterways and the Environment Agency to ascertain the general availability of a water bailiff.
  4. The Hertfordshire Society, our branch of CPRE, has made contact, see literature. *

David T gave us the latest progress on the EHDC Agenda 21 involvement in the flood plain and asked for the groups presence at the Agenda 21 sub committee on 16th Feb supported with display material; where the “Stort Meads in Sawbridgeworth would be discussed. 

AGENDA ITEMS: 

1 The CMS talk on Parish Environmental Action Plan (PEAP) Peter G introduced the short history of PEAPs started in 1998. The aim is for communities to say and document what they think is good/bad about where they live and draw up an action plan to preserve and improve the good and reduce the impact of the bad.

A pilot scheme is running at Shenley and CMS would like feedback from us on whether we are going to put forward resources to start a PEAP in Sawbridgeworth.

Jonathan W extended the talk by running through an imaginary community producing a PEAP. Subjects covered were rights of way, overlay maps of different aspects of the community and aerial photographs were examples of data to be assembled.

The Countryside Agency has started The Local Heritage Initiative, which can provide grant aid to local grass roots projects.

    1. John R said if we planned in the future to go for funding we would need a level of formality for the group; he offered to get a copy of a suitable constitution. This could involve electing a Chairman, a Secretary and may be a Treasurer to run a dedicated bank account. He felt the Town Council should be more involved and Diana R invited the group to make formal representation to the General Purposes Committee in 3 months time. He also asked Diana R to approach the Town Clerk, to act as a co-ordinator, to involve other groups in the town to contribute to a PEAP.

2 Village Design Statement. There was not time to deal with this item.

2.1 Post Meeting Note. Diana R will not be taking the lead on a VDS due to pressure of work. An agenda item for next meeting- A PEAP, a LHI or a VDS? 

3 AOB Michael B informed us there would be a talk at Harlow TH Stavanger room at 8.00pm 9th Feb on the Stort Navigation. PMN Warren R and John W attended a very informative talk given by Richard Thomas for the WEA. At this meeting was a interesting book, The Life and Death of Burnt Mill Village edited by Hazel Lake-01279 424909.

3.1 Warren R asked David T when the EHDC Solar Club was to be launched and he said it would be soon.

3.2 The Sbw May Festival was not covered due to lack of time. 

4 DNM. New place new time! It will be in the Memorial Hall (next to the Library) at 8.30pm on Wednesday 8th March 
 

* Items held in SVP file in Reference section of Sbw Library.