Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 12th November 2015
Committee Present: Alison Kent (chair), Barbara Wigley, Jaye Jones, Shelagh Dean, Micaela Beckett, Julia Holtom
Apologies: Val Roberts
Minutes of the 2014 AGM were read and passed as correct. Proposed by G Basset
Seconded by G Lamble
Matters Arising: These are covered in A Kent's Chairman’s report and the Finance report
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT, NOVEMBER 2015
Your Committee met three times in the past year. Current committee members are: Michaela Beckett, Shelagh Dean, Julia Holtom, Jaye Jones, Barbara Wigley, Val Roberts and myself, Alison Kent. We would appreciate it if we could persuade some new faces to come on to the committee. Nic Wigley continues to keep our finances and membership details up to date.
During the summer months two escorted rides were enjoyed by riders and two rides unfortunately had to be cancelled due to bad weather.
Christmas Cracker ride Sunday 6th Decemberat Haddon Hill car park.
Entries close: Monday 30 November and will be limited due to restricted space for parking horse transport. So entries will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. To ensure a place on this popular 10 mile ride do send in your entry as soon as possible.
For further details and an entry form please look on the WS&EBA web site. If anyone would like to help on the day I would be most grateful for offers to help. Do please speak to me tonight or contact me. asap.
During the year several issues concerning Rts of Way have arisen both with ENPA and SCC for matters outside the Park.
ENPA – is responsible for approximately 1,000 kms of Rows within the Park boundaries. Which breakdown as follows:
Footpaths 438 kms. 464 kms of Bridleways and 64kms of Restricted Byways and BOATS.
There an additional 376km of permitted paths and 18,000ha of open Access Land, on the later only walkers are allowed..
A wet summer has meant the vegetation has grown thickly and quickly on all Rows. The ENPA follow a carefully drawn up schedule for paring back overgrowth. This programme starts on the coast where the milder climate allows much early growth, it then rolls back over the moor and in some places paths will get two cut per year.
Major works undertaken on bridleways in the past year are:-
Forehill Wood, Old Cleeve. Curr Cleeve, Winsford. Butts Lane, Wootton Courtenay. Oldrey Lane, Cutcombe. Haddon Lane, Brompton Regis.
Proposed works and diversions currently in hand or planned for 2016 are:
Worth Wood, Withypool & Hawkridge. Proposed Diversion where river Barle has eroded bridleway along its banks.
Wydon Farm, Minehead Without diversion, should be completed in 2016.
Kendle Farm, Exton. Proposed diversion route still be discussed with landowner.
Higher Access on ENPA owned land. This is a request made to ENPA to allow horse riders and cyclists to be able to ride on legally defined open access land. This is taking some time to be considered. Hopefully in the near future it may become possible to ride freely on some of ENPA’s land without having to stay on the Definitive lines. If and when this comes about, it will only apply to named parcels of land owned by ENPA. Further updates will be posted on the WS&EBA web site.
SCC PROW Team are still under great financial restrictions to try and maintain the existing Row network.
Definitive Map Modification Applications.
Currently they have a waiting list of over 307 DMMOs applications. These applications are for paths that people believe should have a higher status and that based only on historical evidence should be reclassified.
The deadline for any further such applications is 1st January 2026 after which it will not be legally allowed to include any further DMMOs. Therefore any paths with a possible higher status which have not been registered with SCC or Devon CC by this date will be lost for all time.
It is believed there are many thousands of these so called “lost paths” throughout England. The BHS have produced helpful leaflet if you wish to put in an application on a path you consider might have a higher status.
Due to financial cutbacks SCC is not accepting any further Creations or Dedications of Prows in the foreseeable future. Sadly but understandably public Rts of Way do not come high on SCC budgets when looked at in comparison with education, welfare, and social needs.
BRITISH HORSE SOCIETY
Volunteers. A new scheme is now underway to involve more people as volunteers in a wide range of tasks in the equine world. Please visit the BHS web site if you feel you would like to help the BHS .
Self Closing gates. This autumn the BHS ran an extensive trail of several self closing gates up in Yorkshire. The aim was to find a suitable self closing gate for ALL users to this effect both walkers, cyclists and horse rides, farmers and disabled users were asked to trial the different gates involved and score there ease of use. It seems that further work must be done to find a suitable gate to suit everyone’s needs but hopefully this will result in a safe self closing gate to suit everyone’s needs.
Electric Fencing leaflet. A new updated version has now been published with useful information on what is acceptable regarding electric fences when near a bridleway.
Dogs are a growing hazard to many horse riders with some very bad accidents occurring. Please always remember that:
Dogs are prey animals and horses are flight animals.
Drones are something that may well create problems for horses in the coming years. Undoubtedly they become more widely available to the general public and currently there is no proper legislation, or guide lines on how drones can be used in public places.
Horse related Accidents such as Bird Scarers, Gas guns or Shooting, Chinese Lanterns, Cycles, Dog attacks, Fireworks or Low flying aircraft, dangerous Livestock and of course sadly, the only too common, road accidents should be reported as soon as possible after the incident to the BHS on their web site:- www.horseaccidents.org.uk.
Please remember that “near misses” are often going to be the very next accident.
All the data gathered in this way is needed to lobby Local Authorities and Government for legislation or other action, to help make your riding a safe and stress free.
Despite all the scary stuff above I am sure you will all continue to enjoy the privilege of being able to ride safely and happily on Exmoor!
I would like to thank all you, the members, who continue to support the WS&EBA.
Finally may I take this opportunity to say a very sincere thank to my committee for all their hard work and support throughout the year.
Finance Report from N Wigley
West Somerset and Exmoor Bridleways AssociationIncome and Expenditure Account for the year ended 30 September 2015
2015 / 2014
Income / £ / £
Subscriptions / 171 / 292.00
Fund Raising / - / -
AGM / 46 / 28.00
Ride entry fees / - / 660.00
Total Income / 217.00 / 980.00
Expenditure
AGM costs / 190.88 / 113.62
Committee Costs / - / -
BHS Affiliation / 40 / 40.00
Stationary, postage, photocopying / - / 3.60
Books / - / -
Website / - / 14.40
Donations / - / -
Sponsorship/Advertising / - / 57.60
Equipment / - / 146.88
Ride Costs / 660 / -
Total Expenditure / 890.88 / 376.10
Surplus/(Defecit) / -673.88 / 603.90
Balance at 30th September / 838.99 / 1,512.87
Membership Number / 56 / 51
Election to committee:
All present committee members were willing to stand again
Sandy Schott from Simonsbath had agreed to stand for election, although not present.
S. Schott proposed by G Basset and seconded by J Lyons
All committee members & S Schott duly voted on for further term of one year.
Any other business:
Electric Cars. Micaela Becekett raised the question of 'silent' electric cars and the danger they posed to horses, cyclists, pedestrians, etc.
AK replied that the Government is trying to find a solution to this issue by introducing an audible noise to warn people of the cars approach.
Permissive Paths. A question from Sue Lamacraft was asked concerning the blocking up of a permissive path, when land had changed hands and been reregistered.
AK replied that if the path was a Definitive bridleway, then it could not be blocked, but if a permissive bridleway, then the owner has the right to stop the public using it at any time.
She advised Sue to contact the BHS and explain the problem, which appeared to be legally complicated.
Loose horses on a bridleway. A question was asked as to who was responsible for horses that are turned out on in a field with a bridleway running through it. The big and lively horses are intimidating to both horse and rider as they gallop up to riders as they passed through the field.
AK replied that the person who is the “keeper” and has day to day care of the animal is the person responsible. This person, or “keeper”, may not necessarily be the legal owner of the animal. It is best to talk to the person in charge of these horses and tell them the problem. Hopefully they will realise that their horses are potentially a hazard and take action accordingly eg fencing off the path from the horses.
Gate Latches. A question re latches on gates that are too low down to be used on horseback, and who to contact about this.
AK advised talking to their ENPA Area Ranger, to see if anything could be changed for the ease of use. (See map on our web site which gives the names and contact details of each of the four Area Rangers).The BHS have made a short video on You Tube which shows riders the correct way to open and close gates called “Heels to Hinges”
The AGM closed at 7.30pm. There then followed an extremely interesting illustrated talk by the well known veterinary surgeon, Peter Green, MRCVS on “The Origins of the Domestic Horse: What we know so far”. Peter has carried out years of research finding out just how our domestic horse has evolved into the breeds we recognise today. There were some amazing revelations which gave us all something to think about and dispelled a few equine myths!