MANAGEMENT STUDY FOR BRAUNTON MARSH

We are delighted to report that this project is progressing well – our grant applications to both the AONB Sustainable Development Fund and to LEADER+ have been successful for the full amount needed to fund the project.  We are now in a position to start the process of appointing a Project Officer, and the project is due to begin on 1st. August 2006.  Our thanks go to Richard Butler (UK MAB) for all of his help, to the North Devon AONB SDF and to LEADER+.  Our thanks, also, to The Bridge Trust in Barnstaple, who had offered to help us in the event that we had a shortfall in funding.

DRAFT MARINE BILL CONSULTATION

As notified previously, a subcommittee was held on Monday, 15th. May 2006 to discuss the proposals contained in the draft Marine Bill.  The notes circulated at the meeting, and a list of the comments made by those attending, are attached.  We are very grateful to Baroness Sue Miller, who joined us at this meeting.

On 23rd. May 2006, the Devon Maritime Forum met in Plymouth to discuss this consultation.  It was a very informative day, and it was interesting to hear the views of other organisations.

For information, the transcripts of the three Defra Marine Bill Forum Events held in London, Cardiff and Liverpool in May and early June are available on the following link:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/water/marine/uk/policy/marine-bill/here.htm

Also, the 3rd. edition of the Marine Bill Newsletter is available on:

such an enjoyable day.  More details will be made available at the next TTEF meeting.

DEVON WILDLIFE TRUST (DWT)

Caroline Roberts, the DWT Officer for North Devon's Voluntary Marine Conservation Area has prepared a programme of summer events until the end of August 2006.  A copy of this programme is attached.

NORTH DEVON AND TORRIDGE LOCAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS (LSPs)

You will be pleased to know that both North Devon and Torridge District Councils have invited the TTEF to join their Local Strategic Partnerships.  Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the first meeting of the North Devon LSP, due to short notice.  However, I now have the dates of future meetings of both LSPs in my diary, and look forward to representing you there.

MOORING FACILITIES AT CASTLE

QUAY, BARNSTAPLE

NDDC and DCC are investing almost £90,000 in improved facilities at Castle Quay to encourage more boating enthusiasts to the town.  The new features will include ladders, protective fenders, moorings and cast-iron railings.  Cruisers will now be able to moor at Barnstaple as well as at Appledore and Bideford.

NDDC is also in the early stages of investigating the possibility of developing a leisure quay at Fremington. I have asked NDDC for more details of both these schemes..

ENVIRONMENT AGENCY: BEACH

MONITORING DATA

Instow Beach failed the Imperative Standard for Bathing Water Quality on 23rd. May 2006.  This is the only failure so far this year, and one failure is allowed.  It occurred at a time of heavy rain, and was one of a number of failures around Devon.  The results for Westward Ho!, Instow and Saunton Beaches up to 8th. June 2006 are attached for your information.

APPLEDORE SLIPWAY WARDEN

We were hoping that by Whitsun there would have been a Slipway Warden in post at Appledore Churchfields Slip.  Unfortunately, due to a re-organisation at Torridge District Council, this appointment has been delayed.

INTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT CONSULTATION (ICZM)

This consultation paper: "Towards a Strategy for the Integrated Management of England's Coast (ICZM)" was formally launched on 12th. June 2006.  It is available on the Defra website link as follows:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/iczm-strategy/
A limited number of printed copies are available upon request through the following contact details:

Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM),

Defra Marine Environment Division,

2nd Floor,

Area 2C,

3-8 Whitehall Place,

London. SW1A 2HH

Tel: 0207 270 8630

e-mail: ICZM@defra.gsi.gov.uk

This consultation ends on 8th. September 2006, and will be on the agenda for our next TTEF meeting on 17th. July 2006.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/water/marine/uk/policy/marine-bill/pdf/newsletter0605.pdf

The consultation concludes on Friday, 23rd. June, so if you have any further comments you wish included in the TTEF response, please let me have them as soon as possible.  Also, copies of any responses made by your organisations would be gratefully received.

MOORINGS IN THE FAIRWAY

A subcommittee of the organisations involved in this issue met on Tuesday, 13th. June.  Following this meeting, as agreed, I wrote to TDC, requesting that the main and secondary channels in the Estuary are surveyed and buoyed.  In addition, a small group was set up to meet on 18th. July to draft a voluntary Code of Practice on moorings for the approval of the main subcommittee.  It was also agreed to research and document the basis of the "Northam Award" and the "free port" status of Bideford, Barnstaple and Appledore. This information will be necessary for any long-term solution, so if you have any information to help us, please let me have it in writing. 

Our thanks to Mr. Peter Short of Instow Marine Services for attending the meeting and for his help.

TDC LIAISON

We have been notified by TDC that Mr. Ricky McCormack has now been appointed to take the place of Mr. Ray Webster as our Liaison Officer.  We look forward to welcoming Ricky to our next TTEF meeting.

We would like to thank Ray for his help and support for the TTEF over the past few years, and we are delighted that we shall still be working with him in his new role at TDC.

BIOSPHERE RESERVE FORUM

Andy Bell has notified us that there is to be a Biosphere Reserve Forum in the Barnstaple Pannier Market and Queen's Theatre on Saturday, 8th. July 2006.  We have been asked to provide a TTEF stand about our role, and also about the effect climate change and sea-level rise will have upon the Estuary.

This is a wonderful opportunity for all members to promote their own organisations and clubs, and to raise awareness of the work of the Taw Torridge Estuary Forum and our contribution to the Biosphere Reserve.

We shall need some willing volunteers to help run the stand during the day, and any information leaflets about your organisations, that you can let us have to put on the stand, will be gratefully received.   

Please let me know as soon as possible if can help, and at what time, so that I can prepare a rota.

NORTH DEVON AONB FORUM

Please also note in your diaries that we shall be running a stand at the AONB Forum at Watermouth Castle on Sunday, October 8th. 2006.  You will all remember the most successful day we had with the AONB at Clovelly a year ago, and I am sure that this second AONB Forum will be equally as successful.

Unfortunately, due to prior holiday commitments, I shall be away when this Forum takes place.  However, I am sure that TTEF members will wish to take part in

ESTUARY MODELLING SURVEY

Many of you will have seen the orange-coloured Environment Agency survey craft moored at Instow over the past few weeks.  This boat is conducting the survey work for the Estuary Modelling commissioned by the Taw Torridge Estuary Coastal Officers' Group, in preparation for the forthcoming review of the Shoreline Management Plan for the coastal cell from Hartland Point to Brean Down.  The survey boat is expected to be here into July, and the results of the Estuary Modelling will be published in October.  James Diamond of English Nature gave us a presentation on this process at the TTEF meeting on 3rd. April 2006 and further details can be found in the Minutes of that meeting on the TTEF website: www.ttef.org.uk

BRAUNTON BURROWS WALKS AND TALKS

John and Mary Breeds have, once again, prepared a full programme of Walks and Talks for the summer season.  A copy of the programme is attached.

AONB SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FUND

This fund is now closed as the North Devon AONB has already distributed its £80,000.  However, the ND AONB is hoping to receive further SDF money in the future so, if anyone has a worthwhile project that will support the aims and objectives of the ND AONB, please contact the AONB Team on: 01237 423655, or by e-mail: aonb@devon.gov.uk

BARNSTAPLE WESTERN BYPASS

The most recent newsletters and information from Edmund Nuttall Ltd. on the progress of the Barnstaple Western Bypass and Downstream Bridge can be found on: www.barnstaplebypass.com

ENVIRONMENT AGENCY: CATCHMENT ABSTRACTION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

The CAMS consultation for the Torridge and Hartland Streams is just about to begin.  If you wish to make any initial comments, or would like a copy of the consultation document, please contact the CAMS Officer at the Environment Agency on 08708 506506 or by e-mail: cams.devon@environment-agency.gov.uk

DATES OF TTEF MEETINGS FOR 2006/7

Monday, 17th. July 2006 – Town Hall, Bideford

Monday, 16th. October 2006 – Civic Centre, Barnstaple

Monday, 15th. January 2007 (AGM) – Town Hall, Bideford

All meetings begin at 7.00 p.m.