Cuckmere Estuary : Meeting Minutes (6th March 2012)
Present:
Tony Whitbread – TW
Rodney Castleden – RC
Joanna Newton – JN
Chris Wick – CW
Tezel Bahcheli - TB
Mark Lamb – ML
Jilly Byford - JB
Steve Ankers – SA
Graham Kean – GK
John Foxley – JF
Michael Ann – MA
Des Abbott – DA
Roy Little – RL
Ray Drabble – RD
Lucy Mutter – LM
Crispin Scott – SC
Barry Groves - BG
Andy Arnold – AA
Apologies: Councillor Stephen Shing
Andy Robertson
Alan Edgar
Richard Mann
Sam Shippen
Jane Cecil
Simon Fathers
Zara Luxford
Mike Murphy
Elaine Webster
/ Agenda point / Action / Due /1. / Minutes of the previous Project Board meeting (25th November 2011)
CW stated that the Environment Agency doesn’t have a specific budget set aside to pay for keeping the river mouth clear. Instead, each year a budget has to be bid for. This money can’t be used to contribute to the costs of the short term repairs, because this would run counter to the current policy set out in the Flood Risk Management (FRM) Strategy for the Cuckmere. However, a bid could probably be made for investing in a project that would accelerate the outcome expected from the FRM Strategy, as this could bring a quicker saving to the cost of clearing the river mouth. A review of the FRM Strategy is unlikely, unless the rules on how to allocate flood risk money are changed by central government.
Meeting with the Minister, Richard Benyon: this took place on 11 January 2012, during which the community engagement on the Cuckmere Pathfinder was praised, but no new funding was proposed for implementation.
CW noted that the recent re-structure of the flood defence team at the E.A. has caused delay to work programmes. CW will get Peter Amies and Dan Sargent of the E.A. together w/c 12/3/12 to arrange a handover of PA’s actions to DS. Ie:
- E.A. to arrange contractor to carry out minor repair works, and talk to LM about how best to get further works added to Lewes DC’s medium term coast protection budget and programme.
- provide a link to the Motts McDonald report that was used to determine the potential maintenance costs for the flood defences within the Cuckmere estuary.
- Discuss and plan, with AA, how to implement the short term repairs identified during the site visit in October 2011.
Funding opportunities: currently, there’s no funding that could be bid for to implement the short term repairs. There are funding streams that could be bid for to help implement reactivation of the meanders (eg. Catchment Restoration Fund), but the task & finish group needs to complete its work first.
The private planning application for maintaining the defences in the estuary: RL stated that the application has been dormant for over 5 years. The SDNPA, with Lewes DC and Wealden DC, have written to, and been acknowledged by, the agent to ask for an Environment Statement. The SDNPA will be considering in April whether to close the application, as it can’t be held forever.
Additional measures to stop cyclists using the footpaths along the cut: additional signage has been put up. / CW / w/c 12/3/12
2. / Short term repairs and costs to maintain the flood defences
No progress made to date. CW to task Dan Sargent with helping to identify the resources required, what can be carried out by volunteers, and how the E.A. can assist in implementation.
JN offered Nigel Newton’s assistance to help with implementation. / CW / March
3. / Reactivation of the meanders Task & Finish group
RC noted that the report circulated for the meeting, titled ‘Option C. Engineered reactivation of meanders and creeks: challenges, objections’, has identified 26 challenges to option C. Please email RC with any further challenges and positive suggestions to overcome these challenges, by 1/4/12.
E.A. invited to join the group. / ALL
CW / 1/4/12
March
4. / Friends of Cuckmere
Launch: a small committee has put together the launch event on 31st March from 2-4pm in the Pump Barn. Letters emailed and posted on 5th March to those who’ve expressed an interest in joining the Friends group. The launch will be opened by Charles Peck, the Deputy Chair of the South Downs National Park Authority, and speakers include TW, and Dr Barry Yates (for the Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve). This will be followed by a discussion about a draft constitution that has been put together for the Friends group, ideas for what the group can begin to do, how members would like to get involved, and membership fees.
ML has agreed to be chair for the 1st year, and Tom Schindl of ESCC will provide secretariat. Other key roles to fill include treasurer. Next meeting of the committee is on 8th March to finalise the launch, after which the committee will disband and encourage the Friends group to develop.
The Friends group will be non-political, and provide an umbrella for the art group that developed Celebrate Cuckmere in 2011. It will need a website, and contact email address.
It’s proposed that the area to be covered by the Friends group will start at Milton Lock.
Please email AA if you would like to be invited, and please pass the details of the launch to others.
RL & AA to sort promotion of the launch via the SDNP Forum.
Need to let the Cuckmere Flood Forum know about the Friends group. / ALL
RL / AA
ML / GK / ASAP
ASAP
TBC
5. / Next steps:
All agreed that the current set up of the group works for the moment, but will need to be reviewed and probably formalised (ie. with terms of reference etc) as we approach the point when decisions will need to be made about the future management of the estuary, to ensure that the group has the appropriate legitimacy and accountability.
6. / AOB:
1. CW stated that the EA has recruited a catchment co-ordinator for the Cuckmere, to develop an integrated catchment management plan for the estuary to 2026, as required under the Water Framework Directive. A catchment partnership will be established, and the officer recruited will become involved in this post-Pathfinder group.
2. DA: please can the rubbish that’s left by the Cable Hut from the beach cleaning be removed. AA to take up with LDC. / AA / March
7. / Next meeting: Dates to be circulated once sufficient progress has been made on the next steps to warrant another meeting. / AA / Tbc
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