MINUTES OF THE STORT VALLEY PROJECT 
4th July 2001
HELD AT SAYSBUR MANOR SAWBRIDGEWORTH

PRESENT: Ted Barrows (Chairman)
Warren Richards (Secretary) John Rider
Michael Vincent (Treasurer)
Carol Bartlett Diana Richards
Bob Jones Jacqueline Dore
Monya Billings John Anderson CMS 
Matt Perry CMS Project Officer David Mead Hazel Mead
Bob Wright 
Tony Vidler (Sbw A/S)

APOLOGIES: Janet Rolph (Thorley PC) Edward Willitt 
David Thorogood (Agenda 21 EHDC)
Maureen Wright Paul Ashwell
Stan Barker Michael Brown
Liz Greenwood Joan Willitt
Eric Puncher (Sbw A/S) Tom Potts
Joyce Vincent (Sbw Town Council)

MINUTES: Everybody was happy with the minutes of 2nd May meeting and 
were accepted by the Chair.

MATTERS ARISING:
Stationary. Tony V presented the bill which was passed to the Treasurer.
Note any member who wishes to write letters in support of SVP please let the Sec know 723347 for a supply of notepaper. 

Lockkeeper's Cottage. Bob Jones asked about the discharge of foul water into the watercourse from the new Cottage. The Sec said that full consultation had taken place between EHDC Planning and EA on the subject. 
Bob and Sawbridgeworth A/S would like to be assured that under worse case conditions i.e. low river conditions and an effluent processing failure that damage to wildlife would not be affected - Sec to contact EHDC.
Members expressed a concern at the state of the River at Sheering Mill Lock:
A half sunken dredging barge behind the Island.
A tree fallen into the River from the Island.
The general upkeep of the Island and its old rotting moorings.
Contact EA or owner and call for action.

Springhall Lane. BT have done work to fell a telegraph pole and in doing so have allowed access on to the flood plain by vehicles skirting the ditch. Members asked that Rex Marsh the Farmer be contacted to 
reinstate ditch to restrict entry.
"Our field"" further down Sph'all Lane requires a ragwort pull very soon.

Millennium Volunteers. The Sec reported that he had spoken to one of their organisers on the phone and they had asked for a letter outlining 
our group and our requirements for volunteers. -outstanding action.

Land Purchase. David T reports no movement between Abbey Cross and the EA but he will let us know when a letter from us might help the situation. -as last meeting Air pollution. 
With the high levels of traffic pollution along the A1184 Ted B has had a reply from the Surgery but they have no aggregated figures. A census of the number of children walking the A1184 to school would be useful 
data. Ted is writing to the Herald and Star and also to the new Primary Health Group. He would also like to see the classification of the A1184 reduced from a major route for heavy loads. Members suggested that 
Stansted A/P should give financial support to a bypass.
This prompted members to comment on the unusual track of inbound flight paths at present.- Sec to write.

Tree Conservation. Carol B was not present to update us. Post Meeting 
Note: Carol attended on Wednesday! And had lots to tell.

May Fair. The Fair was very successful we sold all our plants and a high level of interest was shown in our displays on pollution on the A1184 and the future of the lockkeeper's cottage. There should have been tea 
and biscuits in Church House by the number of requests we received.

Agenda items.
CMS. It was hoped that Matt Perry the new Project Leader for our area would be present tonight to put forward his ideas. We look forward to seeing him at the next meeting.
Members raised points about access in the area and Tony V said the towpath was still closed between Sawbridgeworth Lock and Spellbrook Lock due to F&M.
It was confirmed that cyclists need a licence to use the towpath.
Publicity/Grants. We still need structured ideas to put forward for grants and the involvement of young people is always a bonus.Members felt we should revisit John R's plan and formulate a management 
plan for the future. We should consider commissioning a report on the 
land we have and purchasing land in the future. Use CMS and other to 
gauge the magnitude of costs; John R to write a brief.
The name of the web site is stortvalleyproject.org and the Sec is 
warren.richards@...
Hazel M is supplying regular slots in Church & Town and The Highwych Parish Magazine but we do need to support her with copy.
Visit to Wicken Fen. Sec confirmed that everybody who had booked for 
the visit with the local NT were available.

DNM. The 4th July 2001 at 8.00pm in Sayesbury Manor.

AOB. Notes of:
a) Tony V will see B'ways, John Ellin and will mention problems at Sh'Mill Lk.
b) Janet Bristo, Solicitor HCC is dealing with rights of way.
c) Cllr Joyce Vincent is our official representative on the Town Council.

* Items held in SVP file in Reference section of Sbw Library. 
SVPmin36