Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of

Swansea, no interests were declared.

 

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting(s).

 

Resolved that the Minutes of the Gower AONB Steering Group

meeting held on 24 September 2018, be accepted as a correct record.

·         Sustainable Development Fund Report

 

Rod Cooper queried if the list of Sustainable Development Fund projects that had been funded was available.  It was explained that a report would be provided following the end of the current financial year.

 

Resolved that an annual report be provided following the end of every financial year.

Rob Owen, Bro Partnership, provided a presentation regarding the Port Eynon / Horton Feasibility Study.  Details included -

 

·         Consultation Process;

·         Main Recommendations as follows:

-        Improve the management of Port Eynon Car Park;

-        Improve traffic management;

-        Improve the toilets (short & long term options);

-        Change road layout, improve parking for disabled and include heritage feature and drop-off point;

-        Replace and improve litter bins / collections;

-        Reduce to one dog zone in the summer and add more dog waste bins;

-        Improve boat launching provision / service and improve storage provision for boats / equipment;

-        Improve disabled access to the beach;

-        Remove unnecessary signs on the seafront / improve lifeguard signs / better signage for coastal path / improve surfaces of paths;

-        Landscape the area in front of the shops at Port Eynon;

-        Improve management of the dunes, including access and enforcement;

-        Build a new centre at Port Eynon which offers provisions that do not compete with existing businesses;

-        Promote bus service and improve bus stop and information;

-        Improve car parking for YHA and improve pedestrian access;

-        Improve access to and management of the Salthouse;

-        Better co-ordination and management of large events, e.g. triathlon;

-        Develop a clear brand and marketing for Port Eynon, based upon maritime history, beach and water sports;

-        Improve car parking, signs and surfacing at Horton;

-        Improve / replace toilet block at Horton;

-        Improve interpretation of RNLI Station at Horton / possibly move the shop to new centre at Port Eynon;

-        Improve pedestrian access from car park to beach at Horton / maintain and improve boardwalk in places;

-        Possibly offer a licence for a vendor to operate from the car park at Horton;

-        Ensure the track between Port Eynon and Horton is free of parked cars;

-        Introduce a phased approach to include short, mid and long term options;

-        Possible services that could be provided at a new centre in Port Eynon.

 

The Steering Group asked a number of questions regarding the presentation, which were responded to accordingly.  Discussions centred around the following: -

 

·         The poor image portrayed by the storage containers in Port Eynon car park;

·         Poor phone signal / broadband services in the area;

·         The poor bus service provision to Port Eynon and Horton;

·         The lack of information provided regarding the consultation, the lack of consultation to the areas surrounding Port Eynon, the lack of response received from Port Eynon Community Council, the two consultation events organised and the limited brief given by the Council;

·         The geographical position of Port Eynon / Horton making it difficult to access;

·         Lack of communication between Council departments;

·         The potential size / cost of a new centre on the site of the current toilets;

·         Parking issues on the road to the YHA;

·         Restricted access for larger vehicles entering Port Eynon;

·         The Community Council / Ward Councillor assisting to help improve the area;

·         Recognising the similar studies had been completed in the past;

·         Setting up a Working Group / forwarding comments to the Gower AONB Team Leader in order to provide a response by 14 December 2018.

 

The Chair thanked Rob Owen for providing the presentation.

 

Resolved that: -

 

1)    The presentation be circulated to the Steering Group;

2)    Comments regarding the Feasibility Study be forwarded to the Gower AONB Team Leader in order for a response to be sent to Rob Owen for consideration in his study report.

Chris Lindley, Gower AONB Team Leader provided an outline of the context, process and requirements of the review of the AONB Management Plan.

 

Details of the review process and recommended review priorities / issues were outlined. 

 

It was added that the Action Plan in the current Management Plan covered a period up to 2018.  An updated version for 2018-21 has been agreed by Swansea Council with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) as the delivery basis for its AONB Partnership grant-aid programme.  As a first step, it was recommended that the Action Plan be updated and reviewed to include an extension to cover the remainder of the existing plan period (up to 2022) and agreed through the Partnership.  It was also recommended that a ‘Management Plan Update’ becomes a standing agenda item for the Steering Group.

 

Resolved that: -

 

1)    The Action Plan be reviewed and updated to include an extension to cover the remainder of the existing plan period (up to 2022) and agreed through the Partnership;

2)    ‘Management Plan Update’ be a standing agenda item for the Steering Group.

Chris Lindley, Gower AONB Team Leader provided an update report on the first meeting organised by Dark Sky Wales at Reynoldston Hall on 14 November 2018.  He stated that 27 people attended, including businesses and local interest groups, who received an introduction to Dark Skies, designation and a number of issues relating to light pollution.

 

It was added that public engagement events would be organised in the New Year.

 

Resolved that the contents of the report be noted.

Chris Lindley, Gower AONB Team Leader, presented a report which provided the position of the Council regarding Gower AONB boundary issues, in the context of the Mumbles Pier Development.

 

It was outlined that the report provided the full context and explanation of why the Council considered that the ‘Order and Order Map’ to be the legal boundary of Gower AONB.  It was the Order that formed the statutory basis for the designation of Gower as an AONB; the Order Map is and should be regarded as, an integral part of the Order.

 

It was added that the Order and Order Map were confirmed by the signature and seal of the relevant Minister and dated 10 December 1956, with the modifications shown in red ink on the Order and the excluded areas shown crosshatched black on the Order Map.  The position of the Council is therefore that the Order came into effect on this date and that consequently the Order and Order Map show the definitive boundary of the Gower AONB.

 

Any other map produced subsequently should only be regarded as interpretations of the boundary and so were not definitive; which included the 1957 copies produced by the Ordnance Survey.

 

The Strategic Planning and Natural Environment Manager commented that the impact effect of the Mumbles Pier development upon the AONB was important, regardless of whether the site was in or outside of the boundary.

 

The Group discussed the report and maps provided.

 

Resolved that the contents of the report be noted.

Mike Scott, Gower AONB Officer, presented a Sustainable Development Fund Update Report. 

 

It was outlined that Welsh Government had confirmed the SDF budget for 2018/19 as £55,000, with the same for 2019/20.  There were currently 10 projects approved with SDF funding for 2018/19, with a further 3 applications under consideration and 3 further applications anticipated.

 

It was added that the Committed Funds figure included the CCS Management Fee of £5,500 (10%) and the fund was heavily committed, both for 2019/20 and 2020/21.  The following was outlined: -

 

Total Funds available	£ 55,000.00
Committed Funds	£ 41,200
Uncommitted Funds	£ 13,300
Applications under consideration by the panel	£ 10,500

 

Resolved that the contents of the report be noted.