Lake District National Park Authority Agenda Item :
Windermere Lake User Forum: Page Number:
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WINDERMERE LAKE USER FORUM
MINUTES of a meeting of the Windermere Lake User Forum held at the Tower Wood Outdoor Education Centre, Windermere, Cumbria at 18.00pm on 23 March 2015.
PRESENT:
Mrs C Shaw (Powered Craft) – ChairmanMr J Wilkinson (Angling)
Mr J Woodburn (Transport providers)Mr D Simister (Sailor)
Mr J Dearden (Commercial Users)Mr P Hardman (Powered Craft)
Mr P Kelly (Canoeists/Rowers)Mr T Ball (Outdoor/Providers)
OTHERS PRESENT:
Mr S Gaskell (LDNPA)Mr J Maguire (SLDC)
Mr D Sykes (SLDC)Mr F Flannagan (SLDC)
Mrs V Senior (LDNPA)Mr T Clare (RNLI)
Ms C Metcalfe (EA)Mrs S Sanderson (Councillor – Chair Lake Administration Committee)
1APOLOGIES AND WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS
Apologies were received from Mr H Knowles (Sailor), Ms D Wright (SLDC), Mr C Hill (Swimmer).
2Approval of previous minutes and actions from last meeting
Minutes of the meeting held on the 25 September 2014 were approved.
The topic these actions refer to should be noted for each item.
Item 3 – No feedback received, ongoing.
Item 5 – Mapping has now been completed. A feasibility plan is being looked at and consultation will then take place.
Item 7 – D Wright has been working on, there should be an update which will be circulated in the next 2 weeks.
Lake User Guide – Aha is taking forward on behalf of the LDNPA, the draft should be prepared by the end of the week, 30,000 leaflets will then be produced and distributed. The Lake User Guide will be displayed on the LDNPA website.
Mr Dearden requested that in future it be ready for distribution by the beginning of April. The budget for the Windermere Lake User Guide is still to be confirmed.
Mrs Shaw requested that a draft of the 2016 Lake User Guide be brought to the September meeting for consultation.
3Safe Swim
Mr Tony Clare from the RNLI updated the group on recent work to train Lake Wardens and Rangers on checking life jackets and the 2015 Swim Safe Project. Three officers and a volunteer are now trained to give advice on checking life jackets to users and will be able to run clinics in the area. Swim Safe, the RNLI are hoping to come to Windermere to promote Swim Safe during the last week in July and the first two weeks of August. The RNLI are looking for volunteers to support this work. If you or you know of anyone able to support please get in touch with Tonyat
.
Action:Mr Clare to circulate final dates to Mrs Shaw to circulate to all members.
4The group were shown life jacket lockers which the RNLI have funded and trialled. Mr Mcguire asked for details at the meeting. More details on these lockers are available from TonyConsultation Presentation from CCC and SLDC
Mrs Maclaine from CCC gave a presentation on the Optimising Connectivity project. The project is in partnership with CCC, LDNPA and SLDC. The project is aiming to improve the highways at four key visitor locations the A591 at Brockhole, Low Wood Bay, Town End (Grasmere, Dove Cottage) and Glebe Road. Improvement works will also be done on the foreshore at the Glebe between the Pump House Café and Marina.
Public consultation on the outline designs will take place between the 1 and 21 April 2015. Public will be able to view the outline designs at Brockhole Visitor Centre and drop in events will also be organised.
Mrs Shaw asked if the plans could be displayed at Bowness Bay Information Centre, Mrs Maclaine said the display would be too large but there maybe a possibility of a reduced display.
Mr Sykes said SLDC would be happy to display at Ferry Naband other SLDC offices.
5Consultation from LDNPA – Exemptions
Windermere Motor Boat Racing Club Exemptions Application
Consultation has taken place and WLUF unanimously support the proposed events in 2015 and 2016.
Ferry Nab Jetties
Mr Maguire gave a presentation on the amended plans for the Ferry Nab Jetties. Jetty 5 will be completed by 1 April, Jetty 3 will be in place by Easter and Jetty 2 should be completed by the 2nd week of the Easter holidays.Two pump outs will be available but they may not be completed and available by Easter.
Planning permission has now been agreed for extension to the Lake Wardens Boathouse, but SLDC are still awaiting a decision regarding the change of use of the toilet block.
Waterbird Project
Mr Ian Gee gave a presentation to WLUF members on Waterbird’sdraft Byelaw Exemption application. They would like to hold a celebratory event on Windermere Thursday 17 September 2015. They would also need to use Windermere on the 15 and 16 September for the purposes of rigging and testing. The entire project is being filmed for a DVD and the flight would be televised on the 17 September.
Mr Maguire asked where the patrol boats would be coming from and what qualification the drivers would have and how they will communicate with each other.
Communication to other boat users needs to be done effectively to ensure safety on the day.
Mr Woodburn asked if Waterbird could work with Windermere Lake Cruises regarding the timetabling, Mr Gee agreed to arrange a meeting.
Mr Hardman asked if the LDNPA would be charging Waterbird for the exemption application as he felt that the charges were discouraging organisations from applying. Mr Gaskell said Waterbird would be charged in the same way as other organisations for processing their application. Mr Gee said Waterbird were happy to pay for the exemption charges.
Forum members were pleased to hear the proposal and looked forward to seeing the application for exemption in the near future.
Action:Mrs Shaw to forward forum members details to Mr Gee.
6Consultation requested from WLUF – Lake Services and Access
6.1Availability of diesel and petrol
At present there are no fuelling stations on the lake. Windermere Marina will be installing diesel pump but availability will be by appointment only and Aquatics are proposing to install a petrol pump.
There was concern that boat users will be fuelling their boats with jerry cans which will increase the environmental risk.
Many on the forum felt that SLDC should be part of the solution in finding a suitable place to installing pumps and that Ferry Nab should be an option. Mr Sykes asked why it should be the public sectors responsibility, he felt that a study needs to be done jointly by the private and public sector to determine the requirement for fuel sales, where the options for locations are and what financial implications there would be. SLDC would be happy to join with the private sector to progress this.
Mr Dearden said that his understanding was that the marina and swinging moorings operated by SLDC was one of the largest commercial operations on the lake and therefore whilst SLDC was a statutory body, it was operating a commercial service in a commercial environment.
Mr Sykes agreed that discussions should take place with interested parties around the lake and agreed to contact Mr Dearden to arrange a meeting.
Action:SLDC and Mr Dearden to start discussions and then Mr Dearden will take forward to other commercial providers.
6.2Lake User Survey Output
SLDC are setting up a working group to address the issues highlighted in the User Survey. WLUF will be invited to join the working group. Initial discussions have taken place between SLDC and the LDNPA and a draft action plan has been drawn up which summaries the areas to look at. The initial draft will be given to WLUF to consult on and any additional comments will be added.
Mrs Shaw was concerned that the comments raised regarding the management of the lake, speed limit, public jetties and water skiing were not included in the action plan. She felt that both SLDC and the LDNPA have not picked up on the main areas of concern regarding the management of the lake..
Mr Sykes explained that that the action plan was looking at how we can improve the services that were provided on the lake by both authorities and isn’t the plan through which matters of significant lake policy would be addressed.
There is other work ongoing, The issues raised around the management of the lake including the speed limit have been separated from the action plan to be consideredseparatelyby the Lake Administration Committee which has agreed to hold an additional meeting to consider this aspect further.
Mrs Shaw stressed that the issues that have been removed from the services action plan are wider than the speed limit and include the way the exemption to the speed limit is being used, impact of wake on the shore line and a more integrated management of the lake.
Action: It was agreed that WLUF would look at the action plan and pass on any comments.
6.3Access to shore for boat owners
An analysis report for the Waterhead project consultation has now been completed, planning permission will now be sought and if all goes to plan implementation will take place October to November 2015. There will be 5 extra moorings in the north basin at Waterhead for those wishing to get ashore to use for short stays. Guidance on the use of the new moorings will be advertised and signage will be provided. There is no room to add a new jetty but the current jetty will be replaced. Mr Simister asked if floating pontoons had been considered,Mr Mcguire confirmed that pontoons cannot be used because of the shape of the bay.
Action:Mr Sykes to send the consultation reports to Mrs Shaw to circulate to the Forum.
Discussions are ongoing between SLDC and the LDNPA regarding the floating jetty at Bowness Bay but this will face planning policy challenges. Mr Maguire suggested that a more deliverable solution may be similar to Waterhead, providing additional visitor moorings. Mr Dearden suggested that if this were the case, the existing jetties be managed to better provide for dinghy mooring. Mrs Shaw was unsure where increased moorings could be placed in this area.
Action:Mrs Shaw asked Mr Gaskell to speak to the LDNPA’s planning department to find out what the issue is with additional jetties at Bowness .
7Proposed developments from the National Trust at Fell Foot
The National Trust has not yet applied for planning permission for proposed developments at Fell Foot. The plans will be on display on the 9 April in the Church Hall at Staveley in Cartmel. The plans will include better access, stepped access into the lake and a new café. The current café will be used for wet weather activities. Current moorings at Fell Foot will be reduced by 8 but these will be replaced in other areas on the lake.
8Consultation from LDNPA actions from last meeting
8.1Windermere Management Strategy
A copy of the timetable on how the Windermere Management Strategy will be taken forward was distributed. The Management Strategy has been split into 5 areas each area will have its own Thematic Discussion Paper. Mr Sykes and Ms Wright are SLDC leads and Liam McAleese will be the LDNPA’s lead. Mrs Shaw noted that the dates were already behind plan on the timetable. Mr Sykes confirmed that the partnerships were already in place and they would be on plan to circulate the thematic discussions papers as planned, (ie in April ready to hold discussions in June and July).
Action:Mr Sykes to circulate the Thematic Discussion Papers and Pestle Analysis.
8.2Valley Planning
The way valley planning will be undertaken is currently being reviewed as it is no longer required as part of the World HeritageStatus application. This review will be considering the areas and the role out timetable to achieve appropriate engagement with communities. The intention of the engagement will be to raise awareness on the Partnership Plan and how communities can support it.
8.3Partnership Consultation
Consultation took place between November 2014 and January 2015 on the draft Lake District National Park Partnership Plan. A lot of feedback was received and the action plan has not yet been finalised. Mrs Shaw asked what quantity of feedback was received. Mr Gaskell will find out.
9Water Quality UU written report from Janine Hawkins
A written report from UU will be circulated to all WLUF members.
Action:Mrs Shaw to circulate, if members have any comments to make please feedback to Janine Hawkins.
10Any other business
Howard Knowles has tendered his resignation as he has moved away from the area. Mrs Shaw thanked Mr Knowles for his significant contribution to the Forum over his three and half year term of office, and for identifying a potential replacement to the sailing representative role.
Boat Safety Scheme
Mr Dearden asked if the Boat Safety Scheme was going to be introduced on Windermere. Mr Gaskell saidin April 2013 two people sadly died from carbon monoxide poisoning aboard a motor cruiser on Windermere. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) carried out an investigation into the accident and made the following recommendation for us to consider – ‘that the Lake District National Park Authority adopt the Boat Safety Scheme as a means of improving safety on inland waterways for which the Authority holds statutory responsibility’.
. The LDNPA have said they will look into this recommendation and investigate further. The LDNPA have said that they will be looking to hold informal consultation sometime between June and December 2015. Following the informal consultation a report will be taken to Authority membersto decide if the recommendation is adopted in March 2016.
Before any decisions are made a separate meeting of the forum will be held to discuss.
Date of Next Meeting 28th September 6pm venue to be confirmed.