Agenda and minutes
Venue: Committee Room 6, Guildhall, Swansea. View directions
Contact: Scrutiny 636292
No. | Item |
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Apologies |
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Disclosures of Personal and Prejudicial Interests Minutes: · None |
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Minutes: · Approved |
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Friends of Swansea Council Groups - Discussion To discuss how the natural environment and biodiversity is considered by ‘friends of’ groups who manage Council land · Sue Reed - Community, Partnership & Destination Development Manager · Mark Thomas – Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure Managament Minutes: · Although not listed as an agenda item, a member of the public wanted to ask a question · The Convener accepted this and the question and member of the publics details have been forwarded on to the relevant department · The ‘Friends of’ volunteers were thanked by the Convener for their hard work and dedication to their areas · The reason for the inquiry was explained along with the aims and objectives · There are currently 3 Council officers supporting 40 sites and 27 ‘Friends of’ groups · There are no more Parks Development Officers · Each group was given the opportunity to speak about their area and make comments 1. Pamela Morgan – Swansea City Botanical
Complex · A wildflower garden has been developed in Singleton · The youngest horticulturist is 55 years old so there will be no trained horticulturists within 5-10 years · Groups rely on that specialist expertise to support their projects · There should be two main points of contact for the groups · 1. A horticulture specialist · 2. An education officer linking schools to the spaces · There also needs to be signage for areas such as Clyne so people know they are there · There is an increase of biodiversity with plants, bees and birds as a result of the work being done by the group · Some areas are being allowed to be truly wild – sometimes this can be confused with ‘neglected’ but this is not the case · It allows for the natural flora to grow 2. Neil Jones – Swansea Vale Nature Reserve · Mr. Jones is an experienced person in relation to nature and biodiversity · He commented that many of the wildflowers which have been planted are garden flowers and not native plants which does not benefit properly to the biodiversity e.g. bees · Mr. Jones believes there have been issues in the past around the allocation of SINC sites · Records need to be accurate to ensure decisions made are based on correct information · Neath Port Talbot Council have a scheme where road verges were designated as ‘wild’ and mown/maintained differently · Some people will complain that they are neglected but there needs to be culture change 3. Rosemary Harvard-Jones – Rosehill Quarry · The quarry is a 7 acre inner city park · There are some regular volunteers at the moment but they receive lots of help from officers like Sean Hathaway · Knotweed is big problem – you can’t get funding for some projects if you have knotweed on the site · Would like to list the flora and fauna in the park but can’t because they do not have the expertise to do this · Again would like to link in with horticulture specialists and education officers 4.
Phil Stockton – Pentyla Playing Fields (Ganges) · Mr. Stockton became involved due to a history of planning applications for the site which he wanted to challenge · Ecological reports which are submitted for planning applications should be accurate and impartial · Voluntary groups should not have to provide environmental/ecological evidence of sites because this should be mapped already · The Council departments seem to have differing priorities from each other – some financial some environmental · The site needs to be recognised as a green space · A range of plants have been added by the group · Groups want the Council to recognise the importance of sites to people and to the environment 5. Marian Francis – Kilvey Hill ·
Close ties with the Nature Conservation Team,
Forestry Commission and Natural Resources Wales to manage Kilvey
Hill ·
Currently working on keeping new conifers down
to encourage native species such as oak to grow though. Proving very successful ·
The Woodland Trust donated some new trees so
they have been planted ·
There has been a noticeable increase in dragon
flies and butterflies ·
The group have been doing a lot of litter picks ·
There have been community events with children
to encourage them to look after the site and learn but they want to do more ·
Having a link to liaise with schools is
essential as it encourages learning and involvement in the area ·
The NEET team (Not in Education, Employment or
Training) are a group which volunteers are keen to link with ·
They would like to have a roundhouse on Kilvey Hill ·
It is an opportunity for all relevant
departments and interested people to work together ·
Public signs advertising the areas would be very
beneficial so people know the sites are there for visiting ·
Litter picks are undertaken but volunteers need
better links for removal ·
Potential for section 106 money for community
and social infrastructure money from developers in the area 6.
Steffan Phillips – Morriston Park ·
Morriston Park is the
oldest garden in Swansea and dates back to 1775 ·
There is 47 acres in total ·
Its role is mixed, it is an urban park you can
play in and it contains a range of biodiversity ·
A welcome pack and plans for each park would be
useful when volunteer groups take over management ·
Native perennials and meadows are more important
than wildflowers ·
Groups are desperate for expertise and the
planning and identification of existing biodiversity ·
Initiatives don’t come with maintenance plans or
budgets to keep projects sustainable ·
Working between departments can be difficult as
they have differing agendas ·
Council work e.g. path building is often
substantially more expensive than private contractors, it should be easier to
have this kind of work done ·
Needs to be a central point of expertise for groups
to contact ·
Needs to be a varied approach to different parks
and sites ·
Urban parks can help with education and serve as
educational hubs for the community ·
Need improved links with schools and community
projects 7.
John Ashley – White Rock · It is a 48 acre site · White Rock was not maintained for 3 years · It is a scheduled monument under Cadw and a Site of Specialist Scientific Interest (SSSI) under Natural Resources Wales (NRW) · Unusual because it is a riverside park · There have been issues with vandalism and safety including deliberate fires · The volunteers are working closely with PCSO’s who are a great source of help · There is a substantial amount of ‘vegetative overburden’ · The volunteers are currently working with the nature conservation team to manage the site 8.
Christine Thomas – Pontarddulais – Coed Bach · Everyone must try and look after the environment · Groups are able to pull in funding if they apply properly and with support · You can learn so much about people and the environment when you volunteer · It is so beneficial socially to get involved · There are no resources from Welsh Government only direction about needs to be done · Interrupting photosynthesis of any plants will damage its ability to grow – including knotweed · There needs to be more joined up thinking between everyone who is involved · Inspired by other people and learned so much 9.
Nature Conservation Team · The team are involved with various groups · Do lots of litter picking · Also link in with the Rights of Way team and the Ramblers · Swansea does have a high concentration of knotweed Discussion ·
The issue of knotweed came up and some
discussion around treatment – it was agreed that this requires a separate and
dedicated consideration ·
Housing developments can be a risk to
biodiversity ·
Not everyone is aware of section 106 agreements · Environmental budgets have been hit · Grant forms from Welsh Government are incredibly long and complicated – people need support to complete them · Sharing services is vital to protect areas and benefit from expertise · In urban areas particularly it is vital to encourage young people to get involved, it may then encourage them to green spaces further afield · Culture needs to change around the abuse of sites – miantain close working with the PCSOs · Tree and bird surveys are very important to sites to establish what is there, how to care for it and will help with publicity · Some sites need expertise around ponds and water courses too · The volunteers were thanked for their time and efforts by each of the Panel members – this work could not happen without them |