MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE BEMBRIDGE AND BRADING DOWN MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE HELD AT BRADING TOWN HALL, BRADING, ISLE OF WIGHT ON THURSDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2002 COMMENCING AT 10 AM
Present :
Mrs M A Jarman - (Chairman) - Isle of Wight Council
Mrs B Clough - Isle of Wight Council
Mr P Joyce - Isle of Wight Council
Mr T Peach - Bembridge Parish Council
Ms V Stephenson - Sandown Town Council
Mrs M Sullivan - Brading Town Council
Mr P Tuck - Brading Town Council
Also in attendance :
Mr R Edney - Isle of Wight Council - Countryside Section
Mrs G Fahy - Committee Services
8. MINUTES
RESOLVED :
THAT the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 October 2001 be confirmed.
9. REPORT OF THE COUNTRYSIDE SECTION
Brading Down Management Committee report
The Countryside Officer reported that the Foot and Mouth restrictions imposed by MAFF in 2001 resulted in a delay in the processing of paperwork. The successor to MAFF, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ( DEFRA ) has recently agreed that the Countryside Stewardship Agreement for Brading Down should be extended for another 10 years. He told the Committee that it is a valuable agreement for the conservation of the site because it ensures that the management continues with no breaks. It is still the aim of the management work to provide an example of chalk downland grazing. This will involve the continued removal of scrub by both contractors and volunteers.
It was reported that the sheep flock which started grazing in August is still in residence and the grazier has reported few problems.
Signs have been in place on site to enable members of the public to report sheep problems. He said that they had endeavoured to react quickly to telephone messages and the health of the sheep which had been monitored by the grazier. The bird nesting season prevents management work taking place later than the end of February and at the time of writing some tractor flail work has still to be completed. The flail was used to cut material on the Nunwell Down side of the main road. The area at the top of Little Jane’s Quarry had been cleared and the clearance of the quarry sides is in hand. Highway work is undertaken through the year but the Adgestone Road clearance is in the February timetable for the cutter.
Rubbish and fly-tipped material is regularly removed from the down and the car which broke the sheep fence on the weekend of 26 January was swiftly removed with the aid of the Countryside Rangers. The driver was exceptionally lucky to have superficial injuries when the car spun over in the accident and came to rest 30 metres inside the fenced boundary. The sheep seemed to be unscathed by the latest accident and the grazier was on the scene very quickly.
Frank Basford from the Archaeological Centre is to organise a survey of the lynchets and recommendations for the management of the archaeological remains will follow. The timetable for the production of a new map should mean that the recommendations will be put forward in the summer. DEFRA are keen to see that the conservation work will proceed in tandem with the archaeological improvements.
RESOLVED :
THAT the report be noted.
10. BRADING QUARRY AND BUTTERFLY WALK
Mrs Sullivan from Brading Town Council outlined the plans for the Quarry. She said that the BMX track was developing. The Countryside Officer explained that a landscape plan has been drawn up for the Quarry which will also maintain the wildlife areas as well as the BMX track.
RESOLVED :
THAT the report be noted.
11. COMMITTEE VISIT TO BEMBRIDGE FORT
The Committee expressed an interest in visiting the Bembridge Fort during May/June.
RESOLVED
THAT the Countryside Officer liaise with Mr Tutton of the National Trust to confirm a visit to Bembridge Fort on 28 June 2002 at 10.30am.
12. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Mrs Clough explained that she would be raising the question of ragwort clearance at the next Environment and Transport Select Committee and asked the Countryside Officer about the Council’s policy on ragwort clearance. He explained that the Council do have a policy of clearing on the Council’s land. Clearance would be carried out on Brading Down in June but it was very difficult to control on private land.
RESOLVED
THAT the Countryside Officer liaise with Senior Countryside Officer to “spread the word” on ragwort clearance.
Mrs Sullivan informed the Committee that Brading Town Council had received a presentation by Vav Syman with regards to the erection of a Piece Pole on Brading Down on the lay line and this could be done in connection with the Golden Jubilee celebrations. The Countryside Officer felt that the Quarry was a better site for the pole.
RESOLVED :
THAT the Chairman meet with Ms Sullivan and Ms Syman to discuss the siting of the pole.
Mrs Sullivan also raised the question of signs “Please clear up after your dog” signs been affixed to the kissing gates at the entrance to the Down
RESOLVED :
THAT the Countryside Officer to investigate the fixing of “Please clear up after your dog” signs.
DATE OF NEXT MEETINGS
Thursday 6 June 2002 for a walk on Brading Down meet by the Ice Cream concession.
Next meeting of the Bembridge and Brading Down Management Committee to be held on Thursday 24 October 2002 at Brading Town Hall at 10am.
CHAIRMAN