North Essex and Saffron Walden Bridleways Group minutes

Date

Monday, 30^th July, s007

Time

8.00pm

Venue

The Plough, Radwinter

Attendees

Hannah Collins Ray Cleaver, Jane Cleaver, David Haylock, Graham Cook, Garron Baines, Jo Wardle, Rebecka Price-Smith, Jo Wardle, Jan Rennie

Apologies

Karen Fiske, Babette Whitehead

ITEM

Action

Minutes & Matters Arising

BHS affiliation essential before September ride. Meeting agreed to the cost of 30.HC updated the committee re proposed new bridleways in Stansted plan. Katy Haines now in new fulltime position, has yet to invoice for work done for group

HC to

continue as

contact re

Stansted

Tabards

1000 tabards now received, in storage with RPS. Agreed livery yards and riding club competitions were a good way to distribute them. United Riders to be given 150 initially for distribution. Important that all tabards signed for thus giving group possible new members details and also preventing possible multiple applications

JW to check if information can be put on riding club website. GB to write and offer groups thanks to Meditec

PROW ECC Meeting & Road Safety Meeting

GB had attended the regular ROW group meeting which outlined the reorganisation of area offices. The ROW improvement plan is on ECC website and open for comments. 360,000 was being spent in a rolling progress of work across the county. Bad weather had slowed down the cutting back of excess growth. There was an intention to be tougher on ROW obstructions.

GB had attended a road safety meeting at ECC. The accident reporting mechanism was being looked at. Near misses do not appear in the statistics. Education has been given a significant budget. Local groups could arrange meetings to identify danger spots to ECC. The new surface on the B1053 through Sewards End had already caused problems

Members to identify danger areas and JR to collate them

Membership

Report

Held over until later date

Treasurer's Report

GC presented an up to date summary of deposit and current accounts. There appeared to be more subscriptions than members. GC pointed out the need for the filing of membership details to be covered by the Data Protection Act. There was a problem with the Horsedates invoice which had been paid 3 times due to constant demands. Account signing details were discussed and it was agreed that the chairman, treasurer and secretary would be the signatories 2 signatures to be required. It was agreed that a cap of 500 be put on spending on any one event. Amounts in excess of this to require a full committee meeting to sanction.

GC to arrange signing details

RPS to attempt to retrieve overpayment to Horsedates.

Website

Charles Arthur is constructing the site, cost probably no more that 100. Members of committee to be responsible for updating with details of their work for the group

September Ride

RPS asked for confirmation ASAP as to who would be available to help with ride 5 volunteers needed for 22^nd, 20 volunteers needed for 23^rd. RPS had all necessary information from Katy Haines which she would reinterpret to apply to this ride. Catering and portoloo booked. Meeting agreed new rosettes should be purchased. RPS felt the existing numbered tabards would obscure high viz wear. It was agreed that smaller ones would be used. There was still considerable overgrowth on tracks to be used for the ride. If ECC did not complete the work, the ride could not take place.

Committee members to inform RPS ASAP re number of volunteers they can provide for ride.

RPS to source rosettes & number tabards.

GB to monitor progress on necessary ECC work

P3 & United Riders

HC said P3 application was ready. Group cannot work on ROW until covered by P3. Meeting agreed application should be made. JR said Brook Farm wished to communicate with GB re a proposal that Radwinter ROW would be tended by them unsure whether this is under P3.

HC had attended United Riders meeting and was willing to continue this task. HC said problems discussed tended to be different from those of the local area. Cycle lanes and Highway code changes had been discussed. GC said the new Highway code changes although acknowledged to be poorly thought through could not now be changed until code is next amended. HC said that from 2009 animal welfare would be the responsibility of the landowners where animals were kept, not the owners of the animals

HC to send in P3 application

GB to contact Brook Farm

Byway/Bridleway maintenance

GB said with the 2 million additional capital funding, 11 local schemes had now been completed and 3 more schemes would be completed this week. JW expressed some concern over the new surfaces. There was a lot of unsuitable builders rubble being used. JW felt grassy tracks were now being turned into roads. RC said that tracks resurfaced in this way in his area were now covered in green growth and had worked well. RPS said this was not the case on certain tracks in the local area which remained hard and unattractive to ride.

Wind Farm at Linton

JW had attended the meeting. The proposed turbines (8 in all) would be at 500metres the tallest in the country. They would be only 50metres from the bridlepath although BHS guide lines specified 200 metres as suitable. HC said many horses were indifferent to them. It was agreed that affiliation to the anti campaign was inappropriate but that the website could provide information so that individuals could register their concern.

Hingston Bridleway Creation

Richard Hingston had agreed the creation of new bridleways in return for the diversion of some cross field paths to headlands. This was now progressing and would be the first bridleway creation for the group. It would provide access from Debden Green to Cutlers Green.

Disputed Bridleway Borley

RC said that a footpath through Brook Hall Farm which had been ridden for many years had been closed to riders by the new owners of the farm. Evidence forms had now been completed by over 30 riders and further riders who had used the path in the past were being sought so that a case could be made for change of use. RC said that it was unfortunate that the track ran very close to the farmhouse. DH suggested that the owners be approached to see if the track could be diverted and added to a DEFRA higher level scheme. GB said that Katy Haynes could be approached for advice.

RC to keep group informed of progress

River Pant Project and Great Sampford Footpath 22

GB said that it should be a long term objective to obtain bridleways in this area in order to link networks. Research of old maps could be useful in rediscovering old green lanes and byways. A visit to the Essex Record Office access point in Saffron Walden would be made to discover what historic maps were available of the area.

GB and JR to investigate Essex records.

Hempstead Footpath 68

GB stated that the loss of the permitted route along this footpath left a hole in the network in that the Hempstead Wood Bridleway now led only to a very dangerous road. GC pointed out that the recent altercation with the landowner had damaged the reputation of the bridleways group and this needed to be addressed immediately. It had lead to a great deal of discomfort among members. GB said that the riders' permitted route sign was still in place when the dispute occurred although it had since been removed. GB said that he was willing to approach the owner, Mrs Ewer and had discussed with JR possible ways to do this and whether, at some point Mrs Ewer could be persuaded to reopen the route. DH emphasised that the footpath was a part of Hempstead Parish Council's footpath reorganisation which had involved a considerable amount of work over 3 years. The plan was in its final stages of acceptance by ECC and nothing should be allowed to jeopardise this. JR stated that she was in total agreement with GC. JR felt that once Mrs Ewer had installed stiles as she intended that there was little chance of the route reopening. JR suggested investigating whether the owner of the surrounding land would consider opening the next headland along to riders by either a DEFRA scheme or a lease. This would mean a short, fairly straight road ride past Blagdens. GB said that this means of achieving a riding route could be explored in tandem with approaching the landowner at the appropriate time and investigating if the route had been ridden for 20 years. After further discussion JR suggested that a written Code of Conduct for all members would be of benefit. RC suggested that this could be an item for the next agenda

Members to give thought to content of Code of Conduct before next meeting

A.O.B.

There being no other business, the meeting closed at 10.50pm. Date of next meeting to be Monday 22^nd October, 8.00pm The Plough Radwinter.

Minutes