Lake Grounds Consultation results

Responder / Questions / NSC response
Summary of Councillor
response / Drainage around the lake is very poor, resulting in muddy areas, especially at the far end by the cricket club car park.
Agreement with the mention that Concession buildings are in need of updating. / Thank you for your comments. We have added looking at further drainage options to control the water levels on the path from spring runoff into the path.
Comment noted about the condition of the buildings.
Summary of
Sailing club
response / The Sailing Club use the lake for training cadets and young persons to sail, and use the club house to store a number of boats within, please can the plan be updated to reflect this. Members also support the raft race by volunteering their time.
Members of the club suggest that the Lake Grounds would benefit from investment, but understand that this would probably need to come from outside NSC. It is suggested that NSC commit to help various groups to put together relevant bids to provide more public access for the community and dredging the lake. Including looking at some possibilities of match funding, including community match funding with labour rather than capital.
Dredging the lake is something that the Sailing club would like to be looked into. The Sailing club in the past has discussed the possibility of looking into Sport England Funding, but feel that NSC may need to help with this.
Labour from the sailing club could also be used to assist with issues such as freeing mud from the pipe at the sluice gate.
Also the club would like to look at funding options to improve the boat house.
Do NSC track Section 106 agreements and are their likely to be more 106 agreements that would benefit the Lake Grounds.
Possibility of a large sail canopy to be installed to allow undercover activates such as yoga. / Thank you for your comments. We have included the use of the lake by the sailing club and their involvement with other activities within the Lake Grounds into the plan. We would be happy to work with the sailing club where opportunities allow and appreciate the offer of volunteer help.
Dredging the lake is a key element that we have taken from your emails and from the public consultation meeting.
We have engaged with an Ecological Consultancy who specialise in water bodies to advise us on future management of the lake and the benefits of dredging and likely costs, so that the matter can be looked at in more detail.
We agree that the building needs refurbishing and will work closely with all stake holders to seek to improve these, however it is necessary to record that the finances are tight so external funding will be necessary to achieve improvements.
We do track 106 agreements and actively look for opportunities to seek funding when they arise.
The idea of a canopy would need further investigation before such an option can proceed.
Summary of Resident
A / Please can NSC advise whether the proposal to increase volunteer work at the Lake Grounds will lead to the loss of paid staff.
There is no mention within the proposal of the skate park or play equipment for older children. The addition of equipment for older children would give those children more scope for activity than currently exists / Thank you for your comments.
This management plan will not lead to the loss of paid staff.
The skate park was not included within this management plan as it has already gone through a consultation process and a decision made.
We have identifiedthe opportunity of adding further play equipment into the plan
Summary of
Resident
B / Whilst we generally support all that is proposed there is very little, if any, reference to securing the necessary resources by which these improvements can be secured. Whilst ‘soft’ maintenance might be achieved by voluntary management there are fundamental problems which require significant financial resources if the overall vision of the Green Flag Award is to be achieved.
Many of the objectives in the 5 year plan are quoted as only implicated ‘when funding is available’, I was hoping to see reference to where monies could be available such as Section 10, grants etc.
If the plan is to be credible one of the early priorities should be to examine opportunities for sourcing or raising funds. / Thank you for your comments. The plan is designed to cover 5 years and is a working document that will be updated as necessary. It is normal procedure at this stage of the plan for funding options to still be investigated. The management committee will meet periodically throughout the year to monitor and plans works, including looking at financial options.
Many other volunteer groups’ source funding for small projects and NSC use their budgets towards progression plans for sites where possible. 106 agreements will be investigated and implemented where possible. It is difficult for Local Authorities to source external funding and grants and so we work closely with local groups and volunteer groups where possible to access other opportunities.
Green Flag judges are also aware of the financial constraints imposed on Local Authorities and so will not judge negatively towards proposals in the plan which may take some time to achieve. Theydo look for progression of the site.
Comments from Resident C / The council’s vision states, “To provide and maintain a high quality, welcoming and biodiverse Park that promotes enjoyment and engagement with the natural environment, and provides a safe space for recreational use and play”.
Where was this vision in the last plan for the area? The key area of maintenance has been missing for years and NSC representative Ed McKay has said there is little funding to ensure this objective is met in the future.
The document states, “The Table below shows the key management Issues for the sites as defined by Green Flag criteria”. The draft plan should not focus on Green Flag criteria. But instead the focus should be the Lake Grounds surely. I would, as a resident, prefer to see the Green Flag Award removed completely from the draft plan and only when the necessary work has been completed, then submitted. The aims have merely been lifted from the Green Flag Scheme itself
With regard to the statement, “This is the first management plan that has been written for Portishead Lake Grounds”, this is not true. A Freedom of Information request indicates there have been previous management plans, including plans for the lease of various areas in the Lake Grounds. Indeed on the 6th November 2001, The North Somerset Council Assistant Director (Operations) wrote to all Portishead Ward Councillors saying, “Attached is a copy of a report that will be consulted by the Executive Committee on the 13.11.01. You will note that it includes proposals for the future management of Portishead Approach Golf and Portishead Lake Grounds”. This officer whose name was redacted, also said, “Cllr Ap Rees and I would like to meet with you to give you more background on the proposal and to see if there is anything in particular you would like included in your specification, or excluded for that matter”. Concession plans were circulated. Management specifications were issued. Even tenders were received following the management plan!! Yet here we are now, fourteen years later with a Lake Grounds which is in a poor condition due to lack of monitoring and maintenance.
Residents’ correspondence indicates much concern regarding the condition of the Lake Grounds. One correspondence in 2002 said, “I have been acquainted with the Lake Grounds for sixteen years and consider the area to be an amenity of great importance to both residents and visitors. I am quite sure that the grounds have never been presented so poorly in all these years and it is certainly not to the credit of North Somerset Council that such dilapidation should be tolerated. Particularly in an area which the Council has designated a conservation area”. Fourteen years later, residents at the consultation meeting held by Cllr Reyna Knight and Ed McKay were highlighting the same concerns. The councillor in particular, appeared to dislike hearing the opinion of residents during the consultation and even went as far as criticizing the people of Portishead at a Town Council meeting on 10th February, 2016. This is not the way to encourage people to volunteer help.
3.1 This section makes no mention that the roads are privately owned by North Somerset Council but are not “adopted highways”. Parking is not available on all residential roads in the area for the users of the Lake Grounds. Lake Road is narrow and there is no designated parking areas on road for vehicles
3.2 This section misleads the reader into thinking that the Lake Grounds, Kilkenny Fields and the Golf Course are “green space”. The first two are designated as Public Open Space on the council’s interactive map but “amenity land” as a planning designation. The Golf Course is designated as “Playing Field” on the interactive map and also “amenity land” as planning.
All are supposed to be transferred to the category of Local Green Space in the council’s plans but are not currently green space.
The Management Plan states, “North Somerset Council works in close partnership with Portishead Town Council and the Portishead in Bloom Committee to manage Portishead Lake Grounds. Both groups provide regular litter picks and contribute to the upkeep of the area”.
I am not aware that Portishead Town Council itself provides regular litter picks which the above states.
Furthermore, the draft plan states, “Both of these organisations provide a positive local community involvement to the site”. This statement is not evidenced. It must be remembered also that Portishead Town Councillors, many of who are also district councillors were not supportive of community involvement when a skatepark had planning permission. I am not aware that the Town Council provides actively any positive local involvement to the site. The area does not provide similar facilities for the teenagers of the town and visitors, as it does for young people and senior citizens. The Plan states that signage is seen across the area. Signage is appalling in the Lake Grounds which is summarized particularly well by the next section of the draft plan.
The Lake
The Plan states, “The lake can be susceptible to algae blooms in the summer which can be harmful to health. Management is often reactive, in line with EA guidelines. Proactive management options will be considered”. The Plan neglects to mention that historically, even in the hottest summer of 1976, the problem with green algae did not occur. It has been prevalent in the last two years due to poor maintenance and attention and less usage of the lake for boating. This section also mentions, “The condition of the path around the lake needs to be monitored”. Something local residents have been raising for some time to no avail. The same applies to the condition of the boat house, which has been highlighted on social media, and to the councillors without success. The path incidentally does not just need monitoring. It needs work to ensure it is safe for all who use the area
The Play Area
Although North Somerset Council states that it has improved this area, it must be noted that the play equipment provided by the Town Council was refused Landlord’s Consent by North Somerset Council originally. It was only after a local campaign group stepped in, that North Somerset Council finally gave approval. This was not due to the specification of the plans, just political agenda that put our children’s enjoyment of the area in jeopardy. Similarly the area has not been maintained adequately and only the public’s intervention has seen this area improved
Bins
I would be interested to see a map of the 40 waste bin locations and further 12 dog bins.
People have been highlighting for some years that the bins are inadequate sizes for the area and insufficient numbers, and the ones that are there are not environmentally friendly with rubbish recycled. Hardly a positive move towards a Green Flag Award
Concessions
It is incorrect to state that an ice cream van is one of the concessions. In fact, the ice cream van was banned from the area some years ago much to the public’s frustration. Years ago, there was ice cream available at the pool cafe, Lake Grounds café and the ice cream van. All worked in harmony with each other with residents and tourists using all facilities. However, the cafe concessionaire insisted that the ice cream van was removed and regrettably North Somerset Council agreed to this with little thought and no consultation with the residents.
Analysis of the Area
The Draft Plan highlights what is working well but it has to be said that the district council’s involvement in these areas is minimal.
The areas noted in the plan which could be improved, have been raised many times without proactivity from North Somerset Council. The Lake has been in a deteriorating condition for a few years now and the plan makes no mention of controlling the water levels via the sluice mechanism. The Lake Grounds has been classed historically as Portishead’s jewel in its crown. Despite residents concerns, the jewel is severely tarnished and in need of thorough work and finance. Not a Green Flag Award, but funding that the area’s tax payers expect to be spent in a timely manner in line with Clevedon and Weston-super-Mare.
Qualitative Assessment
Firstly it seems that under this section, North Somerset Council wants to convince itself that the area of the Lake Grounds already qualifies for a Green Flag Award. It does not.
4.2.1I am very concerned that there is heavy emphasis on “dog walkers” within the draft plan and the statement, “Battery Point is frequented on fine days as a look out, but is mainly used as part of the dog walking route to enter the woodland”. Having been brought up in Portishead I can attest that the area of Battery Point is not “mainly used” for dog walking. Hikers and ramblers use this area regularly and it is fondly used by Portishead residents regularly to watch coastal shipping, to sit and look at the views across to Wales and the Severn Bridges and enjoy the environment as a whole. Children play in this area also and people often use it to picnic. People park on the Esplanade and by the Open Air Pool and then walk up onto the Point and through to Eastwood and into the marina. Many have dogs. Many do not. It is incorrect to say mainly used for dog walking. I do not know who wrote this document or whether they even live in Portishead, but I do wish generalisations like this were excluded from important documents.
Under health and safety, there is no mention of the broken paths and slippery conditions alongside the lake. These were highlighted to Ed McKay at the consultation evening but have previously been referred to the council by residents. One lady at the consultation said she had slipped and fallen into the lake because of the poor conditions. Bizarrely Ed McKay was unaware of the conditions currently at the lake, which is astounding as he is the officer who was asked to chair the consultation evening and explain the draft document. If monitoring was taking place as the document implies, he would be aware
The children’s paddling pool section is not mentioned. This is poorly maintained and the level of debris in this part of the lake is hazardous to young children.
Clearly the person writing this report is not familiar with the area. A “newly opened gap” at the top of the open (Battery Point in effect) is not in fact new. It used to be a pathway down from the top of the grassed area to the area below. Lack of maintenance by North Somerset Council has seen this path become completely overgrown so that it no longer resembles a path at all and clearly the top is a sheer drop because the path was not maintained. Hence the need for a sign!
It is frustrating that the term “boy racers” is used in this section. The local police have confirmed that drivers of vehicles are not all young people. Similarly, there is no mention of the residents in the area who have falsely reported to the police problems when there were none.
In fact, evidence on one occasion indicated that a local resident had deliberately scattered tacks over the road and then blamed teenagers for this. That resident was given a warning by the police officer. It is also commonly believed that vehicles which are perceived to be driving fast by residents, are actually just loud because of the cars modifications, not because they are racing around.