Rural Development Programme for /LEADER East Riding of and North Yorkshire (Ryedale District and Scarborough Borough)

LEADER Local Action Group Coast, Wolds, Wetlands & Waterways

East Riding & North Yorkshire Waterways Partnership

Community Forum # 3

2.00pm-4.00pm Wednesday 18 January 2011 at Rugby Club, Driffield

Minutes

Present:

1. David Farnsworth (DF), Rural Partnership Manager, Council (ERYC). 2. Bruce Miles (BM), former Canal Society. 3. Howard Anguish (HA), Joint Vice Chair, Canal Amenity Society (PCAS). 4. Alistair Anderson (AA), Joint Vice Chair, PCAS. 5. Roger Bromley (RB), Inland Waterways Association. 6. Adrian Koster (AK), Vice Chair, Derwent Valley Conservation Group (DVCG). 7. Angela Brown (AB), Committee Member, DVCG. 8. Bob Watson (BWA), LEADER Coast, Wolds, Wetland & Waterways (CWWW) LAG. 9. James Cokeham (JC), Waterways Partnership Coordinator, ERYC. 10. Paul Cooper (PC), Sobriety Project/Yorkshire Waterways Museum. 11. Ian Jakulis (IJ), British Trust of Conservation Volunteers (BTCV). 12. Phil Arnott (PA), Hull & District Angler’s Association. 13. David Croft (DC), East Yorkshire Chalk Rivers Trust. 14. Annabel Hanson (AH), Leisure, Tourism & Culture Policy Officer, ERYC. 15. John Brown (JB), Pocklington and Wolds Gateway. 16. Tony Fouracre (TF), Amenity Association. 17. John Jefferson (JJ), Driffield Navigation Trust. 18. Iain Campbell (IC), Barge Preservation Society.

Chair: Bob Watson

Officer in attendance and note taker: James Cokeham.

Apologies:

1. Cllr Andy Burton (ERYC). 2. Roger Womersley (Yorkshire Derwent Trust). 3. Ros Aitchison (ERYC). 4. Phil Scowcroft (Canoe England). 5. Deidre Falcon (DVCG). 6. Kath Wilkie (Filey4wards). 7. Gordon Shields (Applied Management Group). 8. Cllr Symon Fraser (ERYC). 9. Louise Adams, Sport, Play and Arts Service Manager, (ERYC).

12-05-01 Community Forum # 3 Minutes_1.2_JC (FINAL)

1. Welcome and introductions.

• BWA welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked new attendees to the Community Forum to briefly introduce themselves to the wider group. This included IC, AH, IJ and AK. • The apologies listed above were noted.

2. Minutes from previous meeting on 26/10/11.

• Matters arising: o Decision # 1: BWA enquired if Dr Margaret Atherton, Chief Executive of PLACE, had responded to invitations to attend the Community Forum. JC confirmed that no response had been received to date. JB offered to liaise directly with Margaret re) the Waterways Partnership at a future PLACE event.

Action # 1 Action(s) Who When JB to liaise with Dr Margaret Atherton re) the JB. Before next meeting of Waterways Partnership at a future PLACE event. Community Forum on 18/04/12.

o Item # 3 & Item # 4: AB supports the proposal of a ‘Technical Note’ and suggested that, in addition to outlining relevant statutory legislations for each waterway, any ‘Technical Note’ should also highlight any Local Plan ‘Site Specific Policies’ that each waterway is subject to and identify any designated sites (including Local Wildlife Sites) on each waterway. This was agreed by the Forum.

Action # 2 Action(s) Who When Highlight any Local Plan ‘Site Specific Policies’ that JC. During development of each waterway is subject to, and identify any Waterway Information designated sites, as part of the development of a Templates. Technical Note.

• The minutes were approved as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

3. Update from Executive Committee.

• BWA provided an update of discussions at the first meeting of the Waterways Partnership Executive Committee on 12/12/11: o The meeting was chaired, on an interim basis, by BWA. A permanent Executive Committee Chair and Vice Chair will be elected/agreed at the Committee’s next meeting on 20/02/12. o The Waterways Partnership Constitution was ratified by the Executive Committee, and will be formally adopted at their next meeting. The changes proposed to the document by each forum were accepted subject to minor tweaks. o BWA asked the group if there were any further comments regarding the Constitution, for which there were none forthcoming. JC emphasised how the

12-05-01 Community Forum # 3 Minutes_1.2_JC (FINAL) 2

Constitution’s formal adoption is a milestone achievement for the Partnership, and clarified that the document will be reviewed as part of the Partnership’s annual work programme. o Effective cross forum communication was discussed and the following actions were agreed:  Forum meeting minutes should be circulated to all members of the Waterways Partnership, including those that sit on the other Forum through email or upload to the Waterways Partnership webpage.  An update from the other forum should be provided at the start of each forum meeting.  It should be regularly communicated to each individual forum whom their representatives on the Executive Committee are.  A Communications Plan should be developed as part of the wider Waterways Partnership Strategy. o BWA emphasised that the Technical Forum is keen to advise and support the Community Forum to enable it to deliver projects. AK asked for clarification on the advisory nature of the Technical Forum’s role. JC clarified that both forums are equal, but that the Technical Forum have resolved to support and advise the Community Forum to deliver projects where possible. o The Executive Committee felt that there was a gap in their collective knowledge/expertise in terms of funding and heritage. Claire Watts (External Funding & Policy Manager, ERYC), Dee Mitchell (Local Action Group Coordinator, LEADER CWWW) and Judy Jones (Heritage Advisor, British Waterways) have therefore been invited for co-option to the Executive Committee. o It was agreed that engaging the private sector with the Waterways Partnership during the strategic development stage would be crucial, and that highlighting the economic and tourism benefits of the waterways would be central to garnering longer term partnership funding. A discussion around public and private sector funding opportunities, and the possible establishment of funding working groups, will be held at the next Executive Committee meeting. BWA emphasised that engaging the private sector is difficult, and has to be to their benefit. o It was felt that a funding training workshop may be useful for the Community Forum to develop their own projects. JC asked the Forum if this would be the case, and asked members to provide comment/feedback.

Action # 3 Action(s) Who When Community Forum to inform JC if a funding training All. Befo re next meeting of workshop outlining funding opportunities and Community Forum on exploring how to submit a high quality bid would be 18/04/12. useful.

o Waterways Partnership bulletins will now be circulated quarterly, not monthly. o A link to the final copy of the ACIP will be circulated around the Waterways Partnership as soon as possible after it has been uploaded to British Waterway’s website. British Waterways, in consultation with the Pocklington Canal Liaison Group, are now beginning the development of a £1million + bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund. BWA emphasised the success of the project, and its use as a template approach that can be replicated on the Partnership’s other waterways. AA was then asked to provide a more detailed

12-05-01 Community Forum # 3 Minutes_1.2_JC (FINAL) 3

update on the project. AA outlined how the report has built consensus over future actions and that the first step in progressing its outputs would be the development of a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for the canal. PA enquired as to an area of weeds above Melbourne, and the effects of a sewage pipe on the canal’s water quality. AA confirmed that this is a potential issue and should be considered in any future CMP. AK asked if the aspirations of DVCG had been fully considered within the report. Members of the forum that had had previous sight of the report confirmed they thought they had, but that it would be important for the report to be publicly released as soon as possible.

4. Update from Technical Forum

• JC provided an update of discussions at the last meeting of the Technical Forum on 18/10/11: o The meeting was chaired, on an interim basis, by David Renwick (Principal Sustainable Communities and Coast Officer, ERYC), who will be continuing in this post on an interim basis until a permanent Chair is forthcoming. Alistair Anderson was agreed as Vice Chair of the Forum. o Changes to the Waterways Partnership Constitution were proposed (see item 3 above). o Representation of the Technical Forum on the Waterways Partnership Executive Committee was agreed as follows:  Mr Andy Morritt, Ouse & Drainage Board.  Mr John Gatenby, Joint Local Access Forum / National Farmers’ Union.  Mr Alistair Anderson, Pocklington Canal Amenity Society.  Cllr Arthur Hodgson, Keyingham IDB. o The Waterway Information Templates were discussed at length and a range of structural amends were agreed. o The development of a ‘Technical Note’ to outline all statutory legislations each waterway is subject to was proposed. This will be a useful point of reference for the wider Waterways Partnership and was discussed further by the Executive Committee. The note will be developed during the strategic development stage and included within the strategy’s Waterway Information Template documents. o It was emphasised that projects emerging from the Community Forum would receive close support from the Technical Forum. o It was proposed to invite East Riding Voluntary Action Services (ERVAS), Yorkshire Water and English Heritage to join the Waterways Partnership. o The Project Officer overseeing the river restoration plan on the River Derwent will be invited to present at a future meeting of the Technical Forum.

5. Member updates/projects.

• Paul Cooper (Sobriety Project/Yorkshire Waterways Museum) o PC updated the group on the proposed Nature Trail that the Sobriety Project is trying to develop on land between the Yorkshire Waterways Museum and Rawcliffe Bridge, between the Aire & Calder Navigation and the Dutch River, in . This has been a project that has grown in breadth as discussions have been held with potential partners, including the Friends of Oakhill Nature Reserve, British Waterways and the Adult Education Team at ERYC. There is now the potential to deliver a large partnership project, focussing on working with

12-05-01 Community Forum # 3 Minutes_1.2_JC (FINAL) 4

unemployed and excluded audiences to provide an important educational and wellbeing resource for local communities. PC outlined that expertise would be required in habitat creation as part of the partnership, so it was agreed that JC would update the Technical Forum on the project in order to garner support. BWA emphasised how a broad partnership project has grown from a simple idea (the Sobriety Project’s broken lawnmower!) into something so much more.

Action # 4 Action(s) Who When Update Technical Forum on project to garner JC At next meeting of Technical support and expertise in habitat management. Forum on 26/01/12.

• Ian Jakulis (BTCV) o IJ gave a presentation on BTCV, outlining their role nationally and the local work that is undertaken by the Yorkshire and Humber branch, who are based in Hull. In 2011, the branch undertook 276 volunteer task days, consisting of almost 2000 individual volunteer days, across 38 sites. BTCV’s work includes habitat improvement/creation/restoration, countryside access/public rights of way and informal/formal training. In order to work with BTCV to complete a project, Waterways Partnership organisations should firstly contact Ian, who will arrange a site visit and provide a quotation for the work. If funding isn’t already in place to implement the project, it can then be applied for. JC highlighted that, as a voluntary organisation, BTCV’s time can be used as match funding (time in lieu) for funding bids. IJ can be contacted on 01482 620309 or see http://www2.btcv.org.uk/display/btcv_hsideandeastyorks

• James Cokeham (on behalf of Gordon Shields, Applied Management Group/Newport Parish Council) o JC updated the group on the development of a Feasibility Study on the and . The project aims to build consensus between the organisations involved in the waterway’s management and care through extensive consultation with the local community, key stakeholders and riparian landowners. It will identify agreed actions to pursue to develop the waterways, propose methods with which to effectively increase their ‘use’ and identify beneficial links with the wider local environment. The project will follow a similar approach to the recently completed Pocklington Canal ACIP, and aims to discern opportunities for environmental, economic and social regeneration. It is hoped that the project will be a precursor for significant funding bids that might include interpretation, recreational opportunities (canoe trails etc) and habitat creation schemes. The establishment of a permanent Liaison Group for the waterways is also a specific objective. Newport Parish Council is the lead partner on the project, though the project steering group is much broader. A funding contribution has been made to the project by the Waterways Partnership, and it is hoped that it will provide an exciting ‘quick win’.

• John Jefferson (Driffield Navigation Trust) o JJ briefed the forum on Driffield Navigation Trust’s plans to restore the canal towpath along a 2km stretch of the Driffield Navigation between Whinhill Lock and Wansford Lock. The towpath has not been fully accessible for 20-30 years,

12-05-01 Community Forum # 3 Minutes_1.2_JC (FINAL) 5

and is now obscured by a high bank that means walkers and cyclists must use the road that runs parallel to the canal. The Trust believes the project has significant natural, recreational and economic potential, providing an important resource for anglers, boaters, walkers and cyclists. It could also link to the wider regional recreation network, including the -Driffield cycle trail. The Trust is seeking support from other members of the Waterways Partnership, who may have an interest in the waterway, to develop the project and identify funding opportunities.

Action # 5 Action(s) Who When Update Technical Forum on project to garner JC At next m eeting of Technical support and identify funding opportunities. Forum on 26/01/12.

6. Development of Waterways Partnership Strategy.

• JC gave a brief presentation, introducing the development of the Waterways Partnership Strategy. The strategy is a crucial part of the Partnership’s ongoing development, and will crystallise what the Partnership seeks to achieve, and how it will go about doing this. Illustrating the ‘economic worth’ of waterways will be central to this. The strategy will be developed over the next 6-9 months, and the first step will be the development of the Waterway Information Templates (WITs). JC reiterated the role of the WITs as an ‘evidence base’ for the strategy and asked attendees to begin their population by thinking about some of the ‘issues and opportunities’ that exist on each of the Partnership’s waterways by writing on one of the number of sheets positioned around the meeting venue. Attendees were asked to think in terms of the broad scope of the Waterways Partnership and consider navigation, environmental, heritage, recreational, flood management, tourism, community engagement and economic development factors, as well as identifying who the key consultees for each waterway might be.

7. Population of Waterway Information Templates.

• A workshop was held to begin population of the WITs by identifying the issues, opportunities and key consultees for each of the Partnership’s waterways.

8. Any Other Business.

• HA informed the forum that an exhibition on the history of the East Riding’s waterways is currently taking place at Skidby Mill. The exhibition began on December 5 th and will conclude in March 2012. • DF outlined to the forum that the Rural Partnership is currently in the process of developing its Rural Strategy. This will have clear parallels with the Waterways Partnership strategy, and may allow the Waterways Partnership to reach new audiences in rural areas. JC and JB agreed that there will be clear common outcomes between the two strategies, and JC confirmed that he will be consulting with DF during the strategic development stage to ensure the Rural Strategy is appropriately referenced and vice versa.

12-05-01 Community Forum # 3 Minutes_1.2_JC (FINAL) 6

Action # 6 Action(s) Who When Consult DF and Rural Strategy during development of JC During development of Waterways Partnership strategy. Waterways Partnership Strategy.

• JB shared a recent article on the Canal & River Trust’s recruitment of volunteer lock keepers. • RB informed the group that Roger Womersley, of the Yorkshire Derwent Trust, will be attending the next meeting of the Community Forum and is keen to discuss maintenance of the Sutton on Derwent lock. • JC shared a recent article in ‘The Guardian’ on the transport of biomass for power plants and the potential of inland waterways to meet the needs of power stations run on biomass plants (where electricity is produced from wood or waste byproducts). A scheme running on the Aire & Calder Navigation (where 360,000 tonnes of timber is carried to a biomass plant in Pollington) is potentially being repeated in other parts of the country. • JC updated the group on the development of the Landscape Partnership, which met for the first time on 02/12/11. The partnership is being setup to formalise a loose working relationship between organisations already involved on the river to allow funding opportunities to be pursued, extra capacity to be created and disparate projects to be linked. The River Hull fits within a potential Nature Improvement Area (NIA) but a partnership would need to be established for this to be pursued. The partnership model will be based on the successful Humberhead Levels Partnership and will concentrate on flooding and flood risk management. • JC informed the group that the Environment Agency have recently produced a ‘Draft Lower Aire Flood Risk Management Strategy’ that is available to download from their website.

9. Dates/location of next meeting.

• Dates for the next meetings of the Community Forum were agreed as below: o Tuesday 17 th April, 2-4pm, Driffield Rugby Club. o Tuesday 17 th July, 2-4pm, Driffield Rugby Club. o Tuesday 16 th October, 2-4pm, Driffield Rugby Club. • JC outlined that the previously agreed 2012 meetings of the Technical Forum would be reviewed and discussed at their next meeting, to ensure a mutually productive flow of communication between each of the forums and the Executive Committee.

Tel: 01482 391752 Email: [email protected] Visit: www.ruralprogrammeseastyorkshire.co.uk/leader/funded-projects/waterways-partnership

12-05-01 Community Forum # 3 Minutes_1.2_JC (FINAL) 7