MINUTES
COASTAL PATHFINDER PROGRAMME
REFERENCE GROUP
17 May 2010
2.00pm, Philip Burton’s office, Council Offices, Holt Road, Cromer.
Present
Reference Group Members
Malcolm Kerby
Janice Howell
Dan Corbett
Tony Nash
Rob Wise
NNDC Officers
Peter Frew
Rob Goodliffe
Peter Battrick
Marti Tipper
Action
1
Apologies
Apologies were received from Sue Willis.
2
Refresh of the Pathfinder Projects & the role of the Reference Group
RG distributed crib sheets showing progress so far on the Projects.
Refresh of General Issues
Land adjacent to the car park at Happisburgh
PF highlighted that NNDC will be meeting on the 18 May to look and consider the
possible blight the land adjacent to the car park may be having on Happisburgh.
The Group discussed the site and the need to find a way forward.
Manor caravan site, Happisburgh
The importance of sustaining Manor Caravan Site for the economic life of the
village was considered imperative and how to facilitate this was discussed.
Funding due to State Aid rules can not exceed €200,000 over 3 years.
Defra Meeting
The above issue re State Aid should be highlighted as a ‘lesson learned’ to Defra
at the end of the Pathfinder Programme. Malcolm Kerby also wishes the Defra
report to include that we may not be able to address resident’s aspirations and
needs. PF will mention this to Defra at the meeting on Friday.
Coastal Management
The interlinking of the Pathfinder Programme to Coastal Defence Strategies,
Shoreline Management Plans and Coastal Management Plans was discussed,
and the impact on any of these if another were altered. Funding was considered
the common denominator for the success of all. Concerns were made regarding
the Pathfinder Programme, not with its management, but the need for funding in
the future to be able to continue and replicate successful projects. The need for
further finance to continue work on the outcomes of the Programme will need to
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17 May 2010
be timely communicated to the new Government’s Ministers i.e. before they set
funding for the autumn.
PF
Business Project
PF explained that the multi-stage process of the Business Project was a large part
of the Pathfinder Programme. The project will identify issues coastal business are
facing and how coastal change is affecting them and also identify solutions. Some
businesses may well be unaware of the issues and the affects that can arise due
to coastal change. PF explained that some of the findings may be common and/or
unique to the businesses involved. The tender for consultants to provide the
business plans is currently advertised. The ‘health check’ is being administered
by Business Link and at no cost to the project. The East England Development
Agency is assisting in funding the North Norfolk Business Forum in promoting the
project with £10,000. The Business Forum is also co-ordinating the scheme on
behalf of NNDC under a Service Level Agreement. The business support is being
launched on the 20 May.
Tourism in the East
This project to support marketing and tourism in the east of the District is
progressing well and is currently out for tender.
Communications
To Communities
The Group asked for an update on how communities are being keep
informed about Pathfinder. It was explained that those directly involved in
projects were kept fully informed at each step. Communities were being
informed via the monthly newsletters that were being produced and
circulated via Parish Council Clerks. Newsletters are also displayed in
NNDC’s offices, local libraries, Partnership offices and on NNDC’s website.
They are circulated to all coastal parish councils, NNDC members,
stakeholders, members of the public who have been invited or requested to
be on the Newsletter database and county and local media publications.
Press releases had been regularly issued and publicised in the press and
local radio. NNDC’s Outlook magazine has mentioned Pathfinder in each
issue.
It was agreed that the parish councils need to be kept up to speed. It was
suggested that they may be willing to distribute individual newsletters to
households with their own produced pamphlets etc.
Via Pathfinder WebSite
The launch of a Pathfinder website was imminent and will include more
detail of the individual projects and management of them for the public to
access. It was asked if a system could be put in place to calculate how
many ‘hits’ are registered on the Pathfinder website. PB to seek this. It was
recognised that some parishes such as Horsey and Lessingham may not
have access to the internet and the Councils only probably meet about twice
a year. It was agreed that hard copy coverage should be considered
imperative in such locations. Marti to seek possibility of these local parish
clerks to circulate Pathfinder Newsletters.
Future Descriptive Wording of aims of Pathfinder
The Group were concerned that the message that Pathfinder is not a
financial solution but a ‘fact finding’ trial with a financial ending needs to be
put across to the public more clearly. Some people seem to be under the
impression that money has been found to solve problems and compensate
people rather than money being allocated to explore solutions for possible
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17 May 2010
PB
MT
future funding. It was agreed to emphasise this more clearly in all
communications. A new strap line on the website and Newsletter will be
created and checked with the Group before release. An article in the next
Outlook Magazine will also emphasise this and it may be feasible to write an
article similar to the earlier ‘day in the life’ series.
MT/RG
PB
Concern was also expressed that some of the public believe that the £3
million funding is solely for Happisburgh, rather than for the whole
Pathfinder Programme. The Group asked that this inaccuracy could be
rectified at appropriate times.
Publicity Event at Merchants’ Place
The Coastal Management Team has been invited to provide a display in
Merchants’ Place Cromer for the duration of the summer holidays to
encourage attendance of the public to their venue and publicise the local
area. Display boards will be created, photos displayed, newsletters
available, a PowerPoint presentation and hopefully access to the website for
the public to explore the Pathfinder Programme in detail. A similar display
will be replicated for the Green Build event on 11 and 12 September, where
the Council’s theme this year is ‘Adaptation to Coastal Change’. The Group
asked for the content of the display boards to be seen by them first for
content.
To Defra
PF explained that NNDC will need to disseminate its findings to Defra
ultimately and has had discussions regarding the timings of future regional
and national Pathfinder events. We are considering giving a presentation in
February to highlight what has been learnt and what is being completed.
The Group asked if any interim reports need to be provided to Defra before
Central Government’s autumn spending review? RG confirmed that reports
need to be sent quarterly (April/July/Oct/Jan). The Group were happy with
the draft report about to be sent for May 2010 but did query the percentage
of the grant received.
Arrival of Rob Wise @ 2.22pm
3
Agree minutes of the last meeting and matters arising
The minutes for the meeting of the 19 April 2010 were agreed and the standard
applauded.
Ring fencing and interest earned
RG explained to the Group that he has asked for clarification from the NNDC
accounts department regarding interest earned on the Defra Pathfinder money
whilst it is in NNDC’s possession and waiting to be spent. The accounts
departments’ response is that that the money is in the Council’s ‘General Fund’. It
is on a low interest rate as the accounts department needs to access it on a day to
day basis.
It is very difficult to calculate the daily interest on the Pathfinder money, it could be
done but the time taken to do this would have to be deducted from the Pathfinder
money. Peter frew explained how the other coastal management budgets were
managed by NNDC and the benefits that this has for the coast at a cost to the
authority. It was agreed that the matter should be dropped by the Group as
continuing in this vein may jeopardise future Coastal Management Funding
accounts. The Group would have liked to have ring fenced the interest earned.
The theory was good but in reality the complexity and risk associated with
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17 May 2010
MT/RG
MT/RG
COASTAL
TEAM
implementing it is high. The Group agreed to take the advice of the Coastal
Management Team and it was agreed that this subject was now closed.
Property advisor interviews
Dan Corbett attended the interviews with Spaldings and Burton Knowles. Burton
Knowles were successful and Dan Corbett was very happy with the process and
decision made. He agreed that Burton Knowles is very experienced with a broad
scope of previous work with the Hull Gateway and local coastal communities at
Lyme Regis. An initial meeting has been held and they have officially started their
work. A second meeting took take place last week to explore creating a Property
Acquisitions Policy. Burton Knowles are making initial contact with the owners of
the 12 properties in Beach Road, Happisburgh and also ascertaining values of the
properties. NNDC are impressed with Burton Knowles approach and sensitivity to
the community, they are not treating their role as an academic exercise.
Malcolm Kerby asked for clarification that the cost of the Beach Road owners’
independent valuations would be bourn by the Pathfinder Programme and it was
confirmed that NNDC would initially cover this cost and be reimbursed by
Pathfinder Programme funding. A discussion about whether NNDC (in the
interests of all it serves) should have an input into which companies the owners
should be able to approach. It was agreed that NNDC wouldn’t want to be seen
as interfering with any feeling of impartiality, so the decision should be the owners.
Legal Executive
When the legal executive is not working on Pathfinder Projects he will be carrying
out corporate work and paid via NNDC not the Pathfinder Programme funding.
The successful legal conveyancer was Ian Coupe who has just finished working
with Salford Borough Council, he and BK asked similar questions and could
envisage similar issues being presented.
Beach Road, Happisburgh
The work for the 12 Beach Road properties has been scoped and we are looking
to proceed with this project. The other properties in the buy and lease back
project may be more difficult for NNDC. This concept is being looked into and
investigated further by Burton Knowles at present. Malcolm Kerby agreed that to
buy and lease-back may cause future problems and issues, however finding a way
forward and being able to present this to Defra at the end of the Pathfinder may
well be beneficial.
Views into Project Board regarding the funds not being enough
We don’t know valuations of the Beach Road properties yet. We need to move
forward and see what money is left; it depends on how many residents will want to
sell. We have saved money on the Beeston Regis project though as this came out
under budget. Any spare under spent money will go into a contingency fund and
can be used on other projects as needed. We will need to defer to the Project
Board about how any contingency funds are to be spent. It was agreed that this
flexibility was beneficial and regular updates and meetings will allow for decisions
to be made as and when needed.
4
Update on progress (of the Projects)
Trimingham Village Hall Project
The parish is looking into raising their own additional funds. The Group discussed
if Pathfinder money could be ‘put in trust’ and the parish have been in contact with
Janice Powell about this. Janice is also to be given contact details of the
Trimingham Liaison Group. Malcolm Kerby offered to assist the parish if it
transpires that they need to set up a charity fund. Lottery funding was also
discussed.
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17 May 2010
MK
There have been informal negotiations with British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC) which
have been positive. Ian Coupe is dealing with covenant issues regarding the
Pilgrim’s Shelter and its future use. The Parish Liaison Group are considering the
design of a new Village Hall and are very keen to speak to the public. The Coastal
Team clarified that their next steps are to allocate the funds, purchase the required
land and draw up the plans for the build.
COASTAL
TEAM
Marram’s Footpath Project
This Project is ongoing. It was thought that planning permission was not initially
needed but the construction of the new driveway will need permission. This was
applied for last week (within 24hours) and should be through in 6 weeks. No
further leasing issues of the bowls club will be needed.
MK has spoken to Natural England to see if they would consider funding towards
the re direction of the footpath under their plans to provide a national coastal
footpath, rather than the Pathfinder Programme money paying for it.
Beeston Beach Debris Project
This is due to be completed at the end of May. It has cost £9,000 for a month’s
work and is substantially under budget.
Heritage
A meeting was held with the project officer last week. An Open Day is being held
at Happisburgh on 22 May. This should provide a good steer on what direction
the community would like to take in order to record their history. Some of the
considered subjects are recording of buildings, cliff surveys and collating of local
verbal and photographic history.
Wolferton Creek Project
This work has been sent out for tender.
5
Any Other Business
Due to feedback from the Happisburgh Open Day, contacts to organise regular
‘Beach Cleans’ by volunteers has been given to Happisburgh Parish Council by
Brian Farrow.
The Group discussed the planning policy EN12 and the fact that it had purposely
been worded to allow property developers the opportunity to purchase and then
‘roll-back’ a property. This can only be done once per property however. NNDC
are one of only a couple of LA’s to have this policy in place. They also clarified
that the Core Strategy had been accepted and can not now be easily amended.
The Group also wished to emphasise that NNDC has never passed on the cost of
demolition to house owners subjected to loosing their homes due to coastal
erosion. The new directive that £6,000 will be allocated nationally to such
properties from a central fund was discussed. PF will seek from Defra next week
how to obtain this money and feedback to the Project Board and Reference Group
on how to access it for the future. MK confirmed that this money is also available
for houses that have never been defended in the past, which lessens the money
available to areas where the defence policy has been changed.
Requests from the Reference Group
Paper copies of the original bid to Defra.
List of Project Board members.
Circulation of Trimingham contacts.
Less acronym use in the Project Board minutes.
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PF
More thorough financial updates from the accounts team since the first one.
6
Next Meeting
The meeting finished at 4.20pm.
The date of the next meeting was discussed. It was agreed that Rob G would
send out a time availability graph to all members and inform them of the next
meeting’s time/date once all had returned their availability.
RG
Press releases will be sent to members.
RG
Copies of all press releases so far released to the media will be circulated to the
members by PB.
PB
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