Meeting with CCC at the King's Hall

[Rosemary Selling was taking proper minutes - this is the condensed version...]

FotD: Cllr Gillian Reuby, Phil Rose, Ros McIntryre, Phil Cheeseman
CCC Outdoor Leisure: Richard Griffiths, Rosemary Selling
CCC Street Scene: Richard Davidson
Kent Wildlife Trust: Fred Booth

1. Richard Griffiths (RG) told us that the Downs Management Plan would now be part of a wider Management Plan for the QE2 Coastal Park. This is unlikely to speed things up.

2. RG said the Plan would be "survey-led", with the Plan being produced when we know what we've got.

3. Fred Booth (FB) pointed out that in parallel with the fieldwork, desk research would also be useful, particularly in well-documented areas like ornithology (check Kent Ornithological Society).

4. FB's Survey will run from April-August, the results are expected in September.

5. The Kent Mammal Group (KMG) would help with a survey from September onwards. The necessary training would be provided at Wildwood.

6. RG expects the Plan to be drafted in late Autumn/Winter 2011, issued for consultation Spring 2012, and signed off Summer 2012.

7. Serco's contract up for renewal in 2013, but is being reviewed currently.

8. In October 2009, there was a pot of £14k of S106 developers' contributions ear-marked for the Downs. The cost of the KWT survey and "signage" leaves us with £10k.

9. Community Payback "volunteers" widely praised for their work weeding the paths and clearing shingle.

10. Litter picking - we now have the necessary sheaf of paperwork to complete before litter-picking. Now we just need to find out what dates our volunteers are available on.

11. The number, location and style of litter bins and dog bins will be discussed at the next PACT/Panel meeting, as will grass cutting and trimming.

12. Shelter. Although the Victorian shelter was covered by CCC's insurance, it was under-insured. There is a suggestion that the shortfall can be absorbed by rolling it into the QE2 proposal... the Queen's Shelter, perhaps.

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My thoughts:

QE2 status is not a foregone conclusion - the process is ill-defined and involves bidding and public voting. CCC display great confidence that it will be awarded, to the point of making progress on the Downs management plan dependent on it. RG emphasised the the management plan should be "survey-led", and this seems to him to be reason enough to put practically everything on hold until the Plan is complete.

The S106 Budget: We knew £2k was allocated to the KWT survey, having agreed to it at the FotD launch meeting in Autumn 2010. RG says £2k has been spent on "signs" - presumably the three new information panels, which were a Herne Bay in Bloom initiative. I'm surprised any of "our" S106 went towards these boards. The fact is that we have no control over the S106 Budget, although we are allowed to bid for funding from it on a project by project basis.

Richard Davidson (of CCC Street Scene) said there wouldn't be any more gang-mowing on the rough Downs this year, as the contract for that area stipulates one cut a year. We would welcome a statement (in writing) to that effect, and a clear understanding that the trimming around the steps (4 times a year) won't be done with tractors that leave wide swathes scalped. Similarly, we would welcome a written assurance that no grubbing, cutting, pruning or trimming of the blackthorn will happen before the Management Plan is complete.

If you have any thoughts on this, or any suggestions for the agenda of our next meeting with CCC, please add a comment below.

Wildlife survey on the Downs

The Friends of the Downs launch the 2011 Wildlife Survey

The Friends of the Downs and CCC are developing a long-term plan for the Downs, and need to know what wildlife already lives here. The Friends will be working with Kent Wildlife Trust (KWT) and other nature groups to survey the flora and fauna on the Downs over the coming year.

On Wednesday, April 6th at 5pm at the King's Hall, we will be starting the 2011 Survey with a brief presentation and induction from one of KWT's wildlife experts, to show us how the surveying needs to be done.

It doesn't matter whether you use the Downs occasionally, or daily - you will still be able to take part and help us. Places are limited, but if more people are interested than can comfortably fit in one group, we can run another one later. Please contact FriendsOfTheDowns@gmail.com to find out more, and to book your place.

The Friends of The Downs

The Friends of The Downs is a new community group of local residents who have joined forces with the Council to protect, preserve and enhance the Downs. The Friends will be a focus for the future care and management of the Downs area, to ensure that the area is well looked after and continues to support its natural flora, fauna and wildlife for the benefit of local residents and visitors alike.

The recent campaign to make the Downs a village green attracted huge local support, showing how well-loved and important the Downs are to the town. The Friends aim to build on that affection by working with residents, the Council and organisations like Kent Wildlife Trust and the Kent Reptiles and Amphibians Group to make the most of this unique open space.

Click here to join the Friends of The Downs mailing list. We'll send you Newsletters to keep you up to date with news and events, and the next few months should be newsworthy and eventful!

Good cop, bad cop.

A rather odd sensation that I don't think I'll ever get the hang of is banging my head against one part of the Council, whilst having a sensible conversation with another part. Hey ho.

CCC chants the mantra that registration (of the Downs as a village green) would prevent maintenance, presumably in the hope that an oft-repeated lie will somehow become true. In their objection to Kent County Council (the village green registration authority), they invoke a 135 year old, late Victorian Act of parliament to support their claim that it is actually impossible for the Downs to become a village green. Balderdash, as the late Victorians would have said.

Meanwhile, the Outdoor Leisure department has recognised The Downs is a "strategic open space", being the only large open space in town apart from the Memorial Gardens. They are also keen to work with local "grassroots" groups, not least because such groups have access to sources of funding that are closed to the Council.

This has lead to an awakening of the idea of active co-operation:

Thank you for taking the time to chat through some joint working opportunities to enhance the Downs as we are keen to work with community groups. As you are aware the primary function of the Downs is coastal protection that may, from time to time, have to take precedence. However, we have already set aside some funding for some environmental enhancement for this strategically important piece of open space.

The aim of joint working would be to develop a management plan based upon survey work, community and partnership input and this could include issues such as: amend habitat - depending on the results of wildlife surveys, improved access, promotion / awareness, training for community volunteers or guided walks and much more no doubt. We see key partners such as yourselves, Kent Wildlife Trust, Herne Bay in Bloom, Natural England and many others will emerge.

The contrast between their stubbornness over registration and their enthusiasm for "joint working opportunities" is stark. Registration would cost them potential revenues from developers, whereas working with community groups can magic money out of thin air. Is that really all there is to it?