Minutes of Essex Biodiversity Project Steering Group 82nd meeting
10 am Thursday 5 June 2014
Joan Elliot Meeting Rooms, Essex Wildlife Trust, Great Wigborough, Colchester CO5 7RZ
Present: Steve Plumb (Chair) (SP), Tony Morton (EBP website) (TM), Andy May (Essex Wildlife Trust)
(AM), Mark Iley (Essex Biodiversity Project) (MI), Emma Simmonds (Essex County Council) (ES), Dave
Hedges (RSPB) (DH), Darren Fazackerley (Harlow District Council) (DF), Helen Jacobs (Essex and
Suffolk Water) (HJ), Charlie Williams (Natural England) (CW)
Minutes: Debra Howard
Action
82.00 Apologies for absence: Peter Harvey, Steve Prewer, Matt Butcher
82.01 Minutes of the 81st meeting held on 20th October 2013
 The minutes were agreed as correct.
82.02 Coordinator and Project Officer report
 MI went through a list of Essex Biodiversity Project (EBP) highlights (attached
for information)
 MI informed that Steering Group that the Combined Essex Catchment
Partnership is progressing well, the next meeting is planned for 6 June with
future workshops and signing of a memorandum of understanding with the
following partners: Chelmer and Blackwater Partnership, Chelmsford City
Council, Chelmsford Biodiversity Forum, Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley
Project, Environment Agency (EA), Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust, Essex and
Suffolk Water Company, Essex Waterways Ltd, Essex Wildlife Trust, Farming
and Wildlife Advisory Group, Rochford District Council, Uttlesford District
Council, Essex County Council and National Trust. This is a long term
initiative. Funding of £25,000 has been received from DEFRA and EA to host
the project and progress the project.
 EBP has been involved in the minerals consultation with Essex County Council
and commented on Colemans Farm and Birch.
 TM thanked MI for putting him in contact with Tim Ruggles Brise to carry out
oxlip surveys in woodlands in North West Essex. The woods are well managed
with oxlips present.
Update on new Biodiversity Project Officer
 Kieren Alexander started as the new Biodiversity Project Officer on 25 March,
he is currently going through the induction process. He has started work on
Catchment Restoration Fund (CRF) projects liaising with landowners and
submitting planning applications. He joins us from the RSPB and has a broad
range of experience and is already very active and busy. Kieren will arrange
personal visits to Steering Group members if required. Kieren sent an
introduction to the Steering Group and hopes to attend the next steering group
meeting. TM to update the project officer details on the website. Concerns
were expressed that Kieren was purely focussing on the CRF work, MI pointed
out that due to the March 2015 deadline for completion of the work, delays due
to the weather and delays with having a project officer in post, the CRF work is
currently a priority but Kieren will be working on wider project work in the future
Anchor Field management
 The site is in West Thurrock with invertebrate and reptile interest and has not
been managed for years. It is a Local Wildlife site, is a potential bio offsetting
KA
TM
site and Thurrock have £50,000 from the 106 money to contribute to
management. Essex County Council consulted EBP on the management plan
and this has been produced. EBP would be happy to take on the management
of the site for the next 25 years if it gets the go ahead. Essex County Council
as currently in discussions with Natural England and are expecting a decision
soon, work will start next year if all approved.
82.03 East of England Biodiversity Forum (EEBF) update
 MI circulated the most up to date minutes to the steering group and reported
that currently the East of England is experiencing a quiet period. The Local
Nature partnerships have not really got off the ground and nothing is happening
with Thames Local Nature partnership. It was agreed that the minutes are
helpful to the steering group for updates on regional issues. MI is happy to
pass them on.
82.04 Discussion on role of EBP, Steering Group and future funding
 The steering group agreed that meetings are beneficial and are keen to
continue, as they are a good sounding base where information is shared.
 Concerns were expressed about EBP moving more to catchment based
projects rather than the traditional terrestrial work carried out. MI explained that
the funding has supported staff costs and due to delays in progressing the
projects Kieren is spending more time on catchment based work at this current
time but will be moving back to wider projects when the deadline is over in
March 2015.
 It was agreed that the Lower Raypits project was a good example of success.
 Core funding for staff is a problem as Local Authorities and Essex County
Council are no longer able to fund EBP
 EBP has a good reputation, have been successful and have a good name, it
was agreed that EBP need to continue to promote their brand and keep at the
forefront of biodiversity.
 Projects can always be found but funding is the problem, the EBP is also about
offering advice and support.
 A discussion took place with differing opinions on charging for projects, advice
and support. Some local authorities are involved in the project on an in kind
basis.
 The possibility of managing sites in the future could be a stream of funding.
 EWT are fully committed to EBP and sees it as a viable concern. Kieren has a
2 year contract; MI has been given a permanent contract. If EBP ceases to
exist MI would be an EWT member of staff, would work on reserves and there
would be no more outreach work.
 The success of the project with such a small group of people should not be
forgotten. John Hall CEO of Essex Wildlife Trust has recently thanked Mark for
all his hard work.
 It was agreed that good communication and keeping an active profile to attract
new interest is important for the project.
 The steering group felt that it was more of a networking group and that it is
important to have outside involvement in the project and it has worked well to
date, with a good chair for advice and guidance.
 The steering group were encouraged to put joint projects forward.
82.05 Update on Water Framework Directive work
CRF Healthy Headwaters
Essex Rivers Hub (Combined Essex Catchment partnership)
 These items had mostly been covered under previous agenda items.
 2 payments have been made to host the combined Essex Catchment
partnership an initial payment of £11,000 and a further £18,000 until March
MI

2015. £25685 remainin in the budget to deliver all the work in the work plan,
this will involve hosting the project and pulling in all stakeholders throughout
combined Essex via workshops and putting together a catchment action plan
from all partners on the issues and how they are addressed.
Please let MI know if you anyone from the steering group would like to get
involved.
82.06 EBP Celebration Event
Format, content, venue and dates in 2015
Quality of Life Award nominations
 It was felt that EBP would benefit from a relaunch to revive profile with a
celebration and showcase of Lower Raypits and CRF work.
 Please email MI with any ideas.
 At date in September 2015 was agreed following elections capturing a wider
audience. Send out invitations with information to re interest partners.
ALL
ALL
82.07 Matters arising
 Essex Biodiversity Project Officer post is a 2 year post not 3 year post as
previously recorded in minutes.
 Harlow Biodiversity Officer has moved to Parks Officer position and Harlow DC
will be re recruiting.
Any other business
 CW informed the steering group of recent Natural England changes. Natural
England now has 14 areas across the country with a local delivery team for
Essex which has specialist marine people. The regional teams are
Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Essex. Sarah Brockless has taken voluntary
82.08
redundancy. David Overton is the new team leader for Essex.
 Matt Searle from Essex County Council has taken voluntary redundancy.
Debra Fox is the new commissioner for sustainable Essex, it was felt that it
would be good for Mark to meet Debra Fox before Matt leaves.
 TM will investigate the possibility of web hosting with an alternative company.
MI to contact Popcorn about switching.
 DF asked about £500 given to the best kept churchyard competition. This is an
RCCE competition which emphasises on biodiversity and a driver for nature
conservation. Emma Brogden from EWT will be part of the judging panel this
year. This is the 3rd year EBP has given funding to the competition. TM to put
this on the website.
 ECC have a new member of staff called Gemma Holmes and the grazing
officer has left to be replaced with an apprentice member of staff, Epping Forest
grazier is currently managing the herd. If anyone is interested in learning more
about grazing contact Luke Bristow at ECC.
 Essex and Suffolk Water Company (ESW) have managed to hold on to grant
money for landowner projects for biodiversity work focus spending.
 ESW also have KPI indicators, one of which is focussing on Local Wildlife Sites
owned by ESW, looking at the status of the site and reporting on the positive
conservation management of the site and involving universities to fund a
student. AM suggested HJ speaks to John More Essex Wildlife Trust Local
Wildlife Sites Officer and also to Les Cousins at Essex University as he is just
completing a PHd on eco systems services and bio offsetting. He also
informed the group that Durham University has designed a GIS system to
assess sites.
 DF spoke to the steering group about Green Flag sites and a discussion took
place regarding the difficulty Nature Reserves have to get Green Flag status.
Every local authority should have Green Flag initiative, the original idea was to
MI/MS
TM/MI
TM
HJ
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improve civic pride and get recognition.
DH informed the group about the Magnox £500,000 social and economic
regeneration at Maldon. The RSPB have put forward the idea of a ferry
crossing to Burnham. There will be workshops in July, MI to attend the
workshop.
SP told the group of a Chelmsford partnership project in the Danbury Ridge
Living Landscape involving Emma Brogden and Adam Rochester of EWT,
community engagement, Parish councils and National Trust as well as
landowners and Chelmsford navigation setting up projects and gaining funding.
Meeting closed at 12.35
Date of next meeting Thursday 23 October 2014 at Essex Wildlife Trust Abbotts
Hall Farm Gt Wigborough CO5 7RZ
MI