Dacorum Environmental Forum Water Group

Held at Council Chambers Berkhamsted Town Council

Wednesday 18th November 2009 at 7.30pm

Chair Roger Hands

Draft Minutes

Attendance

Roger Hands – DEF (Chair)

Andy Hardstaff – CMS - Secretariat

John Leonhardt – ex Field Studies Manager - Hudnall Park

Nicola Mitchell – Field Studies Manager - Hudnall Park

Brian Jones - Northchurch Parish Council

Peter Shardlow – Upper Gade Fly Fishers Association - UGFFA

Bryan Pettit - UGFFA

Sylvia Davidson – DEF Water Group

Alex Back - Veolia

Melanie Challis – Environment Agency

Allen Beechey – Chiltern Conservation Board Chalk Streams Project

Roger Lerry - Chiltern Society

Claire Covington – Dacorum Borough Council Parks Manager

Beryl Buckingham – Chiltern Society Rivers & Wetlands Conservation Group

1. Apologies

Mike Heylin – Boxmoor Angling Society

Victor Brooks – Chair, Water End & Upper Gade Valley Preservation Society

Jean de Selincourt – Chiltern Society Rivers & Wetlands Conservation Group

James Clifton - Regeneration Manager British Waterways

John Fisher - Ver Valley Society

Betty Patterson- Dacorum Environmental Forum

Graham Cannon - National; Trust

Miles Morgan – Environment Agency

John Norris – Chiltern Society Rivers & Wetlands Conservation Group

Andy Webb – Ver Valley Society

The Chairman took this opportunity to convey his best wishes to Petrina Llewellyn and wanted to recognise her valued contribution to the group.  He also took the opportunity to acknowledge the wider contribution that the Countryside Management Service (CMS) makes and record that it is regrettable that Dacorum Borough Council has withdrawn support for CMS.

He also thanked Andy Hardstaff for attending this evening to take minutes.

2. Approval of Minutes 22 April 2009

The minutes were approved and signed by the Chair

3. Matters Arising

Roger Hands is persevering with attempts to set up a visit to Berkhamsted Sewage Works – not made easier with changes in staffing at Thames Water.  Lot of work has gone on – creation of reed beds etc – Roger has put information on website.

Website – Roger reported that he has been distracted due to consultations and involvement with a substantial Heritage Lottery Application so development has not progressed as quickly as he would like.  This delay is entirely his own fault.

Alex Back will be doing an article on Water Framework Directive for website

ACTION Alex Back

4. Water Framework Directive

Roger Hands raised consultation on National SUDS Standards (Sustainable Urban Drainage).  Roger did not find out about consultation until very late in the process.  Was concerned that it seemed the standards are suggesting that there will be a right to connect to sewers (which will work against implementing SUDs schemes).  Andy Hardstaff explained that the work and culture around the Floods and Water Bill is very much one of encouraging SUDs and that the right to connect will only be invoked if people wishing to connect to a sewer can show that they have considered all reasonable SUDs approaches.

Allen Beechey has responded will supply a copy to Roger

ACTION Allen Beechey

Roger had proposed Gade as a special study as part of EA consultation process at the Water Framework Directive meeting at Defra , Reading.

Melanie Challis had also raised this with Miles – River Gade did not meet criteria.

Roger has not heard anything and would have liked an acknowledgement from EA at Reading.  He will chase.

5. Water Resources

Report from Alex Back.  Thames Water are still waiting for final determination on their AMP5 – final decision imminent.   So Alex would be talking from draft – Veolia had wanted to go for compulsory metering – OFWAT have determined that metering can only be on an opt in basis and Veolia will not able to do it on a change of hands basis ie when properties change ownership as they currently do.

Smart meters are a future consideration - give feedback on use to customers – either real time / weekly / monthly – may come in 5 – 10 years time – rational same as with other utilities smart meters allow customers to see the difference that resource saving measures have on their consumption.

Roger is raising his concerns with OFWAT

ACTION Roger Hands

Veolia on a slight supply surplus for the next 5 years so not actively looking for new sources

Water efficiency – OFWAT continually mention efficiency targets but until they formalise them water companies cannot raise the funding to put measures in place.

Roger Hands observed that OFWAT don’t seem to be working for the collective good

OFWAT don’t seem to recognise the limitations on the resource.  An effective action might be to lobby MPs over the next few months

ACTION All

Water Companies NEP National Environment Programme – investment in environmental improvement work next projects will be relating to Upper and mid Colne and Mimram.

Abingdon Reservoir – proposed as a pump storage reservoir to take water from Thames which will be used to meet peak summer demand – Defra and EA not happy with justification for reservoir so may go to public enquiry.

ACTION Alex Back to look into providing executive summary for the project

6. Action Plans Bulbourne Ver and Gade

Melanie Challis thanked everyone for comments – most can be absorbed and plans amended – exception to this would be the comments on the Gade.

UGFFA made representations including some from the Gaddesden Estate about the history of the weirs and also the value for maintaining the wet condition of the meadows near Great Gaddesden

There has been some disruption to looking into the situation due to CMS representative being on sick leave – this has led not been able to arrange meetings and also communication breaking down.

UGFFA have done a lot of work on river and have spent money – further work needs doing and this needs the certainty of the river being supported as a fishery. For example they would want to carry out more desilting which will cost 15 – 20K.

There is a dichotomy of views on the river - those who wish to maintain as a Trout fishery and those who would see it as a more naturalised chalk stream.

Andy Thomas of the Wild Trout Trust – on site visit confirmed that there would be no fishing on these stretches of the river without the weirs – as they are so close to the source

Had also looked into trying to manage cattle to stop trampling problem – Natural England will not allow fencing of stream. 

Allen Beechey outlined the situation in the context of the Gade study and action plan – most of the large weirs difficult to modify because of nature of structures and so can be removed from the plan – it’s an aspirational plan not intended to threaten - perhaps look at wooden weirs – although these are important for maintaining wet grassland – unfortunately had not been raised as part of the sustainability strategy.  UGFFA have also been representing the owners view.

UGFFA will be meeting with Strutt and Parker to walk stretch from Red Lion to Great Gaddesden.

Willingness from all sides to arrange a walk along the river so plan can be interpreted on the ground Roger Hands suggested the New Year.  UGFFA

to offer two dates for consideration.

 ACTION Allen Beechey, Alex Back, Melanie Challis, Roger Hands and Nicola Mitchell Beryl Buckingham, Sylvia Davidson, Jean de Selincourt to attend

AB raised idea of having plan online – could have an interactive map to show proposed and completed projects.

ACTION – Melanie Challis and Allen Beechey to raise ideas with Marion Baker and Roger Hands to discuss how it is published on the website Allen Beechey suggested elements of the CCB website as examples – eg special trees.

Roger Hands - Boxmoor Trust will be looking into improvements to the lower Bulbourne – Allen Beechey has visited briefly with Ian Richardson from the BT.

Brian Jones - Thames will be turning off New Ground 16 December

Beryl Buckingham – Produced a chart showing record of pumping byBritish Waterways pumping from Cow Roast has increased over the years – need to continue debate with BW

7.  Dacorum Environmental Forum Biodiversity Group

Martin Hicks is leading the group – developing a register of projects being progressed which will be published on the DEF website.

Roger Hands also highlighted the Urban Nature Conservation Study

8. East of England Public Consultation at the Fielder Centre 09 11 09

Roger Hands gave a brief report – asked the two questions that he was allowed – Expert Panel were supportive of views from groups in the room.

Roger Hands made available 2 copies of documents circulated at meeting

9. AOB

Roger Hands circulated copies of newspaper (HH Gazette) article re Buncefield and Total having admitted liability – mentions land contamination not water.

Allen Beechey – Rivers on the Edge initiative run by WWF – have received £10M from HSBC – initially focussing on SSSI and SAC – eg Itchen. Film on YouTube WWF happy for organisations to use it – Allen Beechey suggested put on DEFWG website

ACTION Allen Beechey will send link to Roger Hands who will pass to Marion Baker

Beryl – asked to whom should updates to the website be directed – RH will investigate with Marion Baker how best to provide a direct link.

Beryl suggested that Jean de Selincourt could join group walk on the Gade

ACTION Roger Hands to include Jean in email group for arrangements

10. Date of Next Meeting confirmed as 28 April 2010

Meeting closed 21.15