WLAF54 WREXHAM LOCAL ACCESS FORUM Minutes of the Fifty fourth meeting held on Friday 23rd May 2014 at Nant Mill, Coedpoeth 01/11 ATTENDANCE & APOLOGIES Attendance: SECRETARY: Caroline Selby (CS) CHAIR: Mabyn Pickering (MP) MEMBERS: Sue Gittins (SG) Janet Williams (JW) Gwynfor Jones (GJ) – until 12 noon Gerald Moss (GM) Bill Stephens (BS) Tim Stratton (TS) NON-MEMBERS: Sean Hanratty (SH) WCBC Sion Roberts (SR) WCBC Alun Price (AP) NRW PC Paul Davies (PD) North Wales Rural Crime Team – until 10.45am PCSO Rebecca Holmes (RH) North Wales Police – until 10.45 am Apologies: John Evans Ken Mumford Edward Wardle Martin Howorth Dr Ruth Hall MP welcomed everyone to the meeting. It was noted that Ken Mumford continues to make progress albeit slowly. MP is to send a card to him. 1 02/11 PRESENTATION – P.C. PAUL DAVIES, RURAL CRIME TEAM, NORTH WALES POLICE PC Paul Davies explained that the Rural Crime Team was set up in September 2013 by the PCC, Winston Roddick, and is based in Coedpoeth. There are three full time officers, one based in each division. One Detective Constable plus one other officer are attached to the RCT along with PCSOs. Hours 8am – 4pm Monday – Friday but work will be undertaken outside these hours if it is appropriate. The RCT officers have signed up for a three year term. North Wales is the only police force to have an RCT. Remit – agricultural crime. The Team oversee this so that they can spot any trends that are developing. There has been a 40% drop in agricultural crime since the Team was set up. The only remit for RCT is rural crime and members of the Team will not be diverted to other incidents. Wildlife and environmental crime will also be looked at. OWL is included in the remit. Any calls made to the police are diverted to the RCT database and jobs are selected which are applicable, in addition to police officer involvement. Public Rights of Way – 4 x 4s and motor bikes are not in the remit of RCT. Division deal with this as anti-social driving. RCT would be involved if SSSI land involved. Misuse of bridleways – is a division matter. PCSO Rebeca Holmes is hosting a meeting in the Ceiriog Valley as this is the matter generating most calls and is a matter of urgency. Thursday 26th June 2014 in the Canolfan, Glyn Ceiriog at 8pm. Attendance, views and questions will be welcomed. Denbighshire have established a Forum re off road and green lanes. Signs are at the Wayfarers – to be emailed. Some riders ignore the police and also ride bikes with no registration or have illegal plates. The National Police Air Service Helicopter cannot be used as it covers counties in England in addition to north Wales. It is hoped to start issuing tickets soon as a warning. Motor bike magazines, forums, etc. are also to be targeted with information re issuing of tickets, etc. The Ceiriog Valley is covered by the Llangollen division. If a member of the public takes a photograph of vehicles or vehicles transporting trailers these can be sent to the police but proof that the owner is the rider has to be made and that is difficult. Letters are sent to the registered owners of the vehicles. Signs have been erected which along with the issuing of Section 59s have resulted in a reduction of off road activity on Minera Mountain. The North Wale Police Force has a no pursuit policy on motorbikes. RCT and North Wale Police are aware of the issue and are trying to deal with the matter but it is very difficult. Raves held on land – these are covered by specific legislation in addition to Environmental Health legislation. Environmental Crime e.g. fly tipping– Rob Taylor and Eryl Lloyd. There are links with Horse Watch. 2 RCT cards were distributed to those present. GJ has some signs which may be useful to RCT. PD has signs “no scrap metal or batteries at this farm” available for farmers. Campaign is to start on 10th June 2014 re Sheep Worrying as there has been an increase in incidents. Contact details: PC Paul Davies 07920 084329 [email protected] PCSO Rebecca Holmes 07827 305817 [email protected] PD and RH were thanked to attending the meeting and giving a comprehensive presentation. PD and RH left the meeting at this point. 03/11 MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 18th FEBRUARY 2014 There being no corrections, the minutes were proposed by Bill Stephens, seconded by Tim Stratton, agreed as an accurate record and signed by the chairman. 04/11 MATTERS ARISING • Legacy Railway Line – an email was sent requesting an update but no response has been received. Information was sent to JR. JW was unable to raise as an NAF agenda item due to number of agenda items. MP to contact Aled Roberts, A.M., re this matter. • John Walsh reply – “Thank you for your positive comments from what was a very interesting meeting. The position that this Council takes is that ditches and hedges are the responsibility of the adjoining land owner and any issues would initially be addressed to them. The hedge position has been tested and resulted in any necessary works being carried out on a rechargeable basis but I am not aware of any ditch issue being pursued through legal channels in this County. Although I am happy that the Rights of Way Map is an accurate record the keeper of this definitive document is Mr Sean Hanratty who is both better placed and more than willing to answer any specific questions you may have.” 3 • Community Council Forum - there is no room for further issues at present. • Llwyneinion –prices to be obtained for gates, etc. • ROWIP – TS has not received spreadsheets. SH has some information and will send to TS. It was noted that LAFs are expected to monitor ROWIP. • Etape –the 2014 event will be held one week later than in 2013. The route in Wrexham county Borough will remain the same as 2013 but there will be rolling roadblocks instead. • Open Access –the appeal in Wrexham was upheld. • National Trails – TS emailed questions to JW. Rely sent by JW to TS. The National Trails website is limited as there are only 2 trails for Wales listed. This is causing concern to some members. The facilities are potentially good but as only 2 trails are included it is not the first website to obtain information. • Green Access Paper – the date has been moved. MP to raise with Aled Roberts, A.M. • NRW – CS circulated Press Release to members. • Esclusham Community Council – the map is a Land Map and is a progression of OWL. • CS contacted PC Paul Davies. • MP still to contact AONB re speaker. N.B .It was noted that any accidents are the responsibility of the landowner. ACTION: MP to contact Aled Roberts, A.M., re Legacy Railway Line. Prices to be obtained for gates, etc. at Llwyneinion. SH send TS information re ROWIP. MP to raise Green Access Paper with Aled Roberts, A.M. MP to contact AONB re speaker. 05/11 CHAIR’S REPORT I have visited the Archives in Ruthin and obtained information for SH and TS. The copies of the Rural District Surveyors need to be looked at. GM contacted me re Glyntrian 39 and a copy has been forwarded to SH. Active Travel Bill consultation begins on 12th May and ends on 4th August 2014. Echo Bridge – structure being investigated. Minera Quarry – things are moving slowly. Clywedog Trail – part of this is on Tir Gofal, which is ending. It is not known what will happen then. Country Parks may be involved with a very short 4 sections as the remaining land is owned by the National Trust or private landowners. The status of the signage was raised. CS to contact MH re position of Tir Gofal and Clywedog Trail once Tir Gofal ends. Glastir – an announcement is awaited. ACTION: CS contact MH re position of Tir Gofal and Clywedog Trail. 6/11 VICE CHAIRS REPORT TS and MP attended the LAF Chairs meeting in Builth Wells. Access Proposals were discussed but there are no proposals form the Welsh Government. There was little information re the impact of Tir Gofal when it ends. TS attended a meeting re SAONB – MH and a WCBC councillor also attended. TS also met Brymbo Heritage Group re possible conflict re bridleways. ACTION: 07/11 SECRETARY’S REPORT Since the last meeting I have typed and circulated documents and information • Agenda • Minutes • Information received re meetings, papers, inc. National LAF, etc Contacted by letter, email or telephone • Nant Mill Country Park re booking • National Grid re Legacy Sub station (Janet Clark – Ed Brimfield) • Natural Resources Wales - Dr. Ruth Hall • PC Paul Davies – Rural Crime Team • John Walsh – information requested • Attempted to locate John Arwel Watkins re Green Access Paper I have visited Nant Mill re facilities for this meeting. I have received copies of the following: • Public Path Diversion Order 2014 – Public Footpath Bettisfield No. 3 in the Community of Maelor South 5 • Public Path Diversion Order 2014 – Broughton Public Footpath 50 in the Community of Brymbo • Public Path Diversion Order 2014 – Bersham Public Footpath Number 6 in the Community of Offa ACTION: 08/11 SUB GROUP REPORTS MP has visited the Archive sin Ruthin, which was a useful exercise. TS queried DMO applications in Ceiriog Valley – are these applications supported by evidence or should the sub groups do more investigations. SH replied that the evidence is sufficient.