Meeting Notes Title Waterways Partnership Meeting

Date 01 October 2015

Venue Coombeswood Canal Trust, Hawne Basin, Hereward Rise, Halesowen, B62 8AW

Attendees Peter Mathews CMG (PM) Vaughan Welch (VW) Steve Burt (SB)

Graham Fisher MBE (GF) Len Cresswell (LC) Ivor Caplan (IC) Yvonne Gilligan (YG) Ben Seal (BS) Jason Leach (JL) John Harris (JH) Bashir Ahmed (BA) Nick Cleaver (NC) Viv Biggs (VB) John Lamb (J Lamb) Sarah Rudy (SR)

Apologies Phil Bateman MBE, Nick Crombie, Karen Creavin, Ian Lane, Richard Preston, Mike Grimes

Not present Laura Shoaf, Neil Wyatt

Welcome and Apologies - PM introduced Nick Cleaver who joined CRT in June as Community Engagement Co-ordinator.

- Apologies were acknowledged.

Meeting Notes and Matters Arising from last meeting

- The meeting notes were reviewed and LC pointed out that he did

not attend the Council Engagement Meeting.

Declaration of Interest

- No new declarations.

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Chairman’s Report - PM will be arranging a meeting with City Council to visit the HS2 site.

- Recently attended the Partnership Chair’s meeting in London

and it has been agreed that linkage between CRT and the Partnership is working really well. - Has attended a Council Meeting with VW for an appraisal of how they are working with CRT. VW pointed out that the all Wales

Partnership has been dissolved and become a separate Board.

- Met with Ed Fox to discuss PR and has asked SR and J Lamb to keep the Partnership informed of any press activity so that they can support and raise profile.

- The Peers boat trip that was planned for 5th October has been postponed due to lack of attendees, we hope to have a boat at the Liberal Party Conference next year and could incorporate the trip at the same time. IC advised that the IWA have held an open house for MP’s and maybe we could do something similar. - Due to have a meeting with Albert Bore in November. Please can you let PM know if you have anything to discuss. LC asked if there is any news on the Icknield Port Development, JH advised that planning permission has been granted in conjunction with BCC – please keep informed.

Strategic Action Plan reportage - YG – ‘Bike Life’ is a project working with 7 cities across the world YG and has been taking the views of over 1000 people in Birmingham alone asking what they would like to see, a report will soon be available which YG will circulate. - The West Midlands Cycle Charter which Centro are overseeing is to create a cycle network in the West Midlands and needs investment, within a 1 mile radius of Selly Oak there is a population of 25k with transport being a big issue. - Currently working on the ‘Share the Space Drop the Pace’ campaign with BA.

- Surveys that have been carried out in Birmingham have come back very positive showing the canal network is a fantastic resource and not had the investment needed. - Movement for Growth Project shows that people want to find out how they can get around by road /canal, and could present some good PR opportunities. - IC attended the IWA Annual meeting and discussions were brought up on use of the towpath and the need for understanding about shared use.

- LC -Who is organising communication with the Councils as we need someone to take control and drive this forward? JL advised JL that we do have Council contacts but do we have an offer that we can go to the Councils with? LC and JH have met with Solihull Council which was very beneficial and their offers are very good. JL agreed to summarise where we are up to and which Councils

we are already talking to so we can take this forward at next month’s meeting. JL/PM and IL to meet prior to meeting. - Dickens Heath Festival took place last month and the two CRT staff, Dan and Peter gained a lot of interest from people who

would like to get a volunteer group together but we need to make sure we keep them interested.

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- Earlswoood Lakes now has an active stakeholder group which has had a large focus on fishing. John Ellis from CRT is sending

LC some information regarding a fishing facility.

- Will be talking to Earlswood and Forshaw Heath to discuss litter picking /canal tidying as there are a group who may be interested in taking this forward.

- VW – The final report for Bradley Locks is due to be published

after meeting 5th November, it is important that the Partnership has a profile raising project to try and push for development and funding for this project.

- The restoration of the Lapal Canal group appears to be floundering and have no direction, can the Partnership try and help push this forwards. JH is in daily communication with Lapal Trust and there have been a lot of technical questions that they are looking to CRT to help address, Lapal Trust are working with the developer of the Sainsbury site regarding the site excavation. Planning consent is still needed and has been in since March Flood risk is a big issue. IC suggests that they need volunteers with the right expertise to help strengthen their base, maybe some publicity could help raise awareness - VW and IC to speak to J Lamb to raise within the press. - IC – New Heritage Report has been sent out to all partners and is full of good news, there is a lot of work going on incorporating heritage skills and brickwork and is well worth a read. Met with Nigel Crowe, Head of Heritage, IC highlighted a lot of concerns within the West Midlands. Major importance has been placed on a lot of Heritage Assets and we need to demonstrate that we are talking to the LA’s to bring a solution. Nigel has asked if the IC Partnership can produce a report that can go to the Heritage Team highlighting any concerns.

- SB attended the Tipton Festival and was very impressed with the size of this. - BA is sending invites for SB to talk to various groups to let them know what the Partnership and CRT are all about. - SB will also be having a meeting with Martha Oddy about potential funding opportunities – as a Partnership we could put in projects for small amounts of funding. BS advised that Gailey Canoe Club building is very run down and some much needed funding would help.

- GF should have some press material for J Lamb after the ‘Heritage Trust’ meeting next week along with a big announcement.

- Has been working on Ordnance Survey promoting BCN which

has been submitted and acknowledged and has potential be a good promotion. - Is working on writing for 6 radio programmes featuring Midlands Canals and will keep us posted.

- Trying to encourage senior people within CRT to be involved with

the conversion of the Stourbridge Crystal site as grants have been confirmed in the region of 2.147 million and would like us to take an active role – will send press release to J Lamb.

- BS – Since the Tories have been elected there has been a big

review of sporting activities and all governing bodies for Sport will be giving feedback on funding. - CRT need to engage with the new sport plan due to amount of users of the waterway, and how we can attract people into sport. Where can we deliver the Outreach Project – Handsworth / JL 3

Witton Lakes, need to go back to BCC. YG asked who would respond to Sport England Strategy - JL will enquire within CRT

as to who will be doing this. NC is working on 3 youth projects and would like to catch up with BS to see how they can work together.

- JL – Bonded Warehouse has a dilapidation claim against

previous tenants of £60k and this could take 20 years to be resolved. Estates need to call a ‘Stop date’, the issue is who pays for clearance. RP is talking with clients to try and resolve, and see what funding we can secure. - JH- Cycle revolution which has been given a large grant has an £8 million extension and this will go to the cabinet for a further £3 million plus they may also receive another £4 million next year for bridges and accesses etc. - Will be meeting with local MP’s along with PM. - There have been pre- application discussions involving the James Brindley Pub which may include demolishing to make way for a new restaurant.

- North Stratford Canal is being submitted to cabinet for approval next month. JH has discussed with Solihull Council a Bid for Local Growth Funding in Solihull, nothing is definite yet. - IC asked about developments in Smethwick. JH said he had little knowledge but was aware that recent European Bid for funds had been withdrawn. - BA – Will be running the ‘Share the Pace, Drop the Pace’ campaign on 8th October outside Sealife Centre. Sustrans, Centro and BCC will be in attendance to identify the issues that they want to help us with. If anyone can attend please let BA know. - Has been talking to local groups regarding ASB in Walsall and working with communities as to how we can tackle this.

- Received lots of requests from local neighbourhood groups for litter picks and has been engaging with minority groups. - SB suggested that we have a diary set up for next year so that the Partnership can help support these events with a bit more VB notice. VB to set up a diary.

- NC is working as part of the Esme Fairbairn Project and has been engaging with key organisations to help set up some adoption schemes, along with some Art enhancement works and tackling graffiti problems. Needs to engage with Partnership.

Press Coverage

- J Lamb – recent press activities have included the Floating Markets and Transport Revolution that have appeared in the Birmingham Mail and Express & Star. Future articles could include the Heritage Report, Bonded Warehouse and ‘Share the Space’ - Circulated copies of BQ magazine featuring an article about PM on the canals.

- SR was delighted to advise that West Midlands now have 2nd

place within the waterways for press coverage. She is having weekly updates with PM and fortnightly meetings with J Lamb to ensure all bases are covered. Great Nature Watch results will be

out in October.

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Events attendance - Annual Partnership Meeting at Wolverhampton Race Course on 11th November – those who have presentations please can you

send to VB.

AOB – Including Date & Location of next meeting

- SB asked if PB has met up with Councillor Simkins .JL advised they are due to have a meeting in November and will follow this up.

- VW mentioned our Heritage Advisor, Lizey Thomson has

appeared on recent television programmes about West Midland Canals which was very good. - Next meeting to be held on 5th November, potentially at Fiddle & Bone -TBC

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