MINuTES
Title / All Wales Waterway Partnership MeetingDate / 17th December 4.30pm – 6.30pm
Venue / The Wharf, Govilon, Abergavenny. NP7 9YN
Partners / Dr Mark Lang; Andrew Dakin; Donna Coyle; Russell Todd;David Collins.
Other Attendees
Apologies / Julie Sharman, Andrew Stumpf, Laura Lewis, Jacqueline Humphries.
David Swallow; Dr Dawn Roberts; Dr Ruth Hall; Christina Harrhy.
- Welcome & Apologies
As above.
ML informed partners that both Dr Dawn Roberts & Christina Harrhy will be leaving the Partnership at the end of the year, due to work commitments. Our thanks and best wishes are extended to both for their work and commitment while part of the Partnership team.
- Notes from previous meeting
DonnaC requested a copy of Ruth Hall’s Paper. A number of anomalies to be corrected.
- All Wales Action Plan
Progress to Date
Action 1 Managing water resources - technical solution has been agreed by partners but cost – both capital and revenue – have yet to be established. The evidence based decision making working with a broad partnership is seen by Welsh Government as an exemplar.
A bidfor funding through the Nature Fund was unsuccessful. AS to ask for feedback on bid when it is assessed.
An application for EU Life + funding to improve the conservation value of the River Usk and canal and to ease fish passage is being considered.
The Mon & Brec Canal needs to be considered as a whole – from Newport to Brecon – and mapping transport links, particularly those tying it in to the metro and tourist attractions helps to cement its strategic nature.
Action 3 – Match Funding- We are looking for further funding streams that may be available to CRT to deliver structural and water security to the Mon & Brec canal.
Action 7 - The Waterside design guide currently on the backburner.
Action 8 – Cross Government MOU and Task and Finish groups are in place and we are working with the Chair of that group to harden up the actions so that we can demonstrate clear outputs.
Action Plan 12 - Improving hedgerows
Keep Wales Tidy have been awarded funding through the Nature Fund and we may be able to work with them on the Mon &Brec.
Tree works on the Llangollen canal are included in the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding National Beauty Landscape Partnership Bid which had been submitted to Heritage Lottery Fund but deferred.
Action Plan 13 –Supported Volunteering opportunities & Canal Adoptions
The Swansea canal is an exemplar with 11,000 volunteer hours recorded in the last 12 months. Wales is currently disproportionately successful in adoptions, volunteering and educational activity.
CRT is currently recruiting Development & Engagement Managers at Waterway level – their focus will include – customer service, engagement, volunteers and engaging with Parish Councils etc. It is a very important role within CRT.
Action Plan 16 – Arts Residency Programme
An appointment has been made for the Montgomery Position. CRT had many very strong applications including artists from Ireland and Germany.
Action Plan 41 – World Waterways Conference
This event has a very good international following and would be very good for CRT to host, possibly in either Newport or Cardiff to coincide with significant investment in the lower Mon Brec canal. Applications are competitive so CRT would only apply withthird party support.
Action Plan 20 –Towpaths
Towpaths are still being improved across Wales and the latest phase on the Montgomery canal, funded through Powys CC, is underway.is on-going.
Postle’s Bridge is now open and complete.
Action Plan 33 –Education Co-ordinators
The Big Lottery Bid for this funding is currently being written, RT has identified organisations that can help us with this.
Action Plan 37 – Pilot Map Development
The Mon & Brecmap has been developed and a video produced and is being followed up on the Montgomery. Funding has been provided by Powys County Council.
Action Plan 38 – Development at Trevor
CRT and Wrexham CBC commissioned consultants to look at the site from a visitor’s perspective but with short term implementation in mind. Existing leases have been taken as a given. AS explained how visitors use the site currently and proposals for improving the offer on-site including: creating a sense of arrival and orientation at the entrance to the site; creating a focus with all facilities brought into one place including: - heritage and education centre, retail, café etc. Partners thought it essential that CRT works with current businesses.
There was some discussion of safety issues round the aqueduct including cycling and the spacing of the historic railings.
The final report will be ready January.
Action Plan 38 – Guidebook
Guidebook is in the process of being prepared. The guidebook is a 144pp publication – 50/50 illustration / text principally as an informative souvenir but also providing routes around the site. It is a joint publication with the Royal Commission of Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales.
Action Plan 39 – Family Paddling
A pilot project will be run on the Llangollen Canal with the help of NRW Competitive funding.
Priorities for 15/16
The Mon & Brec canal continues to present a significant risk to the Trust and therefore must be a priority for the Welsh team. To that end the canal as a whole needs to be recognised as a strategic project within the City Region able to deliver key outcomes for the Welsh Government; principally jobs, growth and amelioration of the causes of poverty. Third party funded research is underway to forecast the outcomes of a fully operational canal but it is likely that additional work will be required to add detail.
Community participation and advocacy is a distinctive strength of CRT. When added to our asset management, commercial skills and our ability to both work with a range of partners and attract third party funding, it should place us in a strong position to be considered for managing third party water space.
The current Heritage Skills for the Future project, waterway apprenticeships, volunteering on the Swansea Canal and burgeoning community adoptions delivered by the Waterways are all perceived as strengths in Wales.
Our active management and development of the only canal World Heritage Site in the UK will enhance our reputation both sides of the border and demonstrate the breadth of our expertise.
Our priorities are therefore to:
- To develop a Public Affairs strategy which develops advocates on behalf of the Trust in Wales
- To demonstrate the value that waterways add to Wales by securing political and financial support
- To secure the future of the Mon & Brec canal through additional investment, restoration and community engagement
- To enhance the Trust’s reputation through additional investment in the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and canal World Heritage Site
- To prioritise education & skills, adoptions and volunteering in Wales to support the priorities above
CRT needs to build on the good work we already do with partners and communities, therefore strengthening our relationships further. Our public affairs activity works hand in hand with our community engagement to ensure we have both public and political support.
Partnership Role
A paper was tabled looking at the priorities in more detail and the role the Partnership might play. For example helping us determine what role we might play in the preventative health agenda to our support of Welsh language and culture. We need to be aware of and build on what is best practice and gain early knowledge of funding likely to become available from all sources.
- Public Affairs Activity Report
Laura Lewis is currently building on our existing relationship with the Welsh Government and National Assembly for Wales.
LL is working with our European team on the communication strategy for an Interreg project Numericanal.
Partners were asked to help us pick out any key legislation that may be relevant to CRT in the future and also identify programmes where we could assist and / or benefit.
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