Agenda Item No.
CARDIFF BAY ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
MINUTES of a meeting held on 14th
November, 2007.
Present:
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Councillor N.J. Gibbs (Chairman)
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Penarth Town Council
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Mrs. C. Dimond (Vice-Chairman)
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Cardiff Flood Action Committee
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Councillor Mrs. V.M. Hartrey
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Vale of Glamorgan Council
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Councillor N. Howells
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Cardiff County Council
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Mr. P. Barry
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Cardiff Yacht Club
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Mr. T. Davies
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Royal Yachting Association
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Ms. S. Newbold
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British Marine Federation
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Mr. J. Taylor
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Glamorgan Anglers
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Mr. J. Reeves
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Environment Agency Wales
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Mr. R. Harvey
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Welsh Canoeing Association.
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Also Present:
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Mr. D. Lowe
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Cardiff Harbour Authority
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Mr. C. Hope
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Vale of Glamorgan Council.
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(a)
Apologies for absence -
These were received from Mr. A. Parker, Mr. S.
Jones (Quay Marinas Ltd.); Councillor J. Norman (Cardiff County
Council), Mr. Simon Howell and Mr. J. Harrison
(Environment Agency Wales).
(b)
Minutes -
AGREED - T H A T the minutes of the meeting
held on 12th September, 2007 be approved as an accurate
record.
(c)
Cardiff Harbour Authority Progress Report -
The following progress report was received
from Mr. Lowe:
Barrage
Barrage Embankment: An
internal review of settlement that includes level surveys and
ground water readings was undertaken in November. No major
movement was observed. Monitoring of levels and ground water
will continue monthly with photographic records being made
annually. The overall review of all data will continue to be
undertaken annually.
Barrage Embankment Bay
Edge: The remedial bay edge works are
complete. These include placing of gabions and reinstatement
of stone that had moved on the bay access edge that is used to
collect litter.
Local Gate Painting:
The first phase of a three year lock gate painting contract is
complete. This first phase concentrated on the painting of
Lock 1 and was completed to programme and within budget.
Barrage Security: A
review of Barrage security is being undertaken in light of recent
threats such as Glasgow Airport. Both short term and medium
term improvements are being considered following a full risk
appraisal of the existing system.
Water Transport Commuter
Service: The bids for the provision of a commuter
service serving the Penarth to Mermaid Quay and Penarth to the City
Centre routes are due back in six weeks. The operational
commuter service is scheduled for commencement in April 2008.
Water Bus Speed Trial:
Following a water bus trial that involved consulting stakeholders
and interested parties and involving these parties in the trial
itself, a review of the speed of low wash water buses has been
undertaken and a recommendation made to increase the speed on the
River Taff to a maximum of 8 knots. This speed compares with
the upper reaches on the Thames where there is rowing and other
water paddle sports. Risks to the environment, the health and
safety of other users and noise have been considered. It is
proposed a trial with the low wash water buses operating at
8 knots commences in December for six months.
Environment
Dissolved Oxygen:
Levels have been maintained at or above the statutory minimum of
5mg/l for 99,9% of the time since April 2007.
Algae: No algal scums
have been recorded in the Bay this year.
Water Quality: The
compliance with the European Bathing Water standard for the periods
April to June and July to September was approximately 77% and 54%
respectively.
Debris: A total of 151
tonnes of litter and debris has been removed from the Bay since
April 2007.
General
Olympic Standard Canoe Slalom
Facility: A provisional offer has been received from
the Welsh Assembly Government regarding the funding arrangements
for the proposed Olympic Standard Canoe Slalom facility. This
is currently being reviewed and discussions with the Assembly are
ongoing.
Inner Harbour to Barrage
Walkway/Cycleway: The Harbour Authority is working
closely with the Assembly, Associated British Ports and Igloo
(Roath Basin Developer) to open up a walkway/cycleway between the
Inner Harbour and the Barrage. It is intended that this be
opened in Spring 2008.
Pont Y Werin: The
Harbour Authority has been working very closely with Cardiff
Council, the Vale of Glamorgan and Sustrans, the sustainable
transport strategy, regarding its £50m. bid to the National
Lottery, for the construction of 79 walkway and cycleway schemes
around the UK. These schemes, known as the Connect2
Programme, include the Pont Y Werin (the People’s Bridge) which
will provide a safe route for pedestrians and cyclists over the
River Ely between Penarth and the International Sports Village, and
complete a key section of the Harbour Authority’s Bay Edge Walkway
project. Sustrans Connect2 Programme is competing against
three other schemes and the winner will be decided by a public
vote. If the Connect2 Programme wins, Sustrans will
contribute a sum of £1.15m. towards the cost of building the
bridge.
Online voting will begin on 26th
November, 2007 at
http://www.thepeoples50million.org.uk/
During the week commencing 3rd
December, 2007, each of the four schemes competing for the £50m.
prize will be featured in separate programmes on ITV and telephone
voting will be possible on 7th and 8th
December, 2007. The telephone numbers will be announced on
6th December, 2007. The National Lottery will
announce the winner during the following week.
Events
The Welsh Sailing Games were held in the Bay
from Cardiff Bay Yacht Club on the 20th and
21st October, 2007.
The first Welsh Schools Indoor Rowing
Championships were held at Cardiff Bay Water Activity Centre on
Friday, 26th October, 2007. The Welsh Indoor
Rowing Championships were held on the following day and over 300
competitors from all over the UK took part.
A ‘Find Santa’ lantern procession was held in
Cardiff Bay on 10th November, 2007. The event was
very popular with a few thousand people attending.
The Harbour Authority is working closely with
the Waterfront Partners with respect to a series of events leading
up to and during the forthcoming festive season.
_______________
(d)
Environment Agency Progress Report -
Mr. J. Reeves from the Environment Agency
provided the following update:
Water Quality
Water quality was well maintained.
Acoustic Survey
The acoustic survey had been successfully
completed in October and a report on the outcome would be placed
before the Committee in due course.
Zebra Mussels
It was reported that, as an experiment,
anti-fouling paint had been used on the walls of the fish-pass
chamber in an attempt to prevent the encrusting of the pass by
zebra mussels.
The experiment had proved successful, with no
environmental impact and the use of the anti-fouling paint would be
extended to the other chambers.
A warning about zebra mussels had been posted
on the Environment Agency’s website.
Mr. J. Taylor reported that he had received
sightings of crayfish.
Mr. Lowe responded that risk assessments had
been undertaken on the incidence of crayfish, but no reported
sightings had been received. Mr. Taylor was requested to
provide details of the sightings.
(e)
Draft Fishing Strategy for Cardiff Bay -
Members of the Committee were advised of the
contents of an e-mail received from Mrs. S. Jones:
“I have a couple of comments on the Draft
Fishing Strategy.
Firstly, I do not think that fishing from
boats should be discounted as an option without further
discussion. In the report it is stated that anchoring would
cause a problem with the aeration systems. I accept
that. However, boats would not need to anchor. If the
CHA want to restrict fishing from boats then they should say so and
give a good reason why. Otherwise, they should have a policy
for boat fishing.
Secondly, I will be passing on the link for
viewing the consultation document to all my customers by e-mail on
Friday and hopefully this will generate some feedback for the
CHA.”
Following discussion, Members of the Advisory
Committee agreed that fishing from boats should not be permitted in
order to prevent damage to the aeration pipes on the bed of the
bay.
Mr. Taylor expressed concern at the proposal
to allow the fishery to continue to develop without any
introductions, at least in the short term. There was a need
to introduce diversity of the fishery, and Mr. Taylor stated that
the Glamorgan Anglers were willing to make a financial contribution
towards the introduction of some species of fish.
Mr. Reeves responded by stating that, in the
view of the Environment Agency Wales, the fish stocks in the bay
were replenishing well. The decision not to increase the
diversity of species had been taken to avoid the accidental
introduction of diseases.
AGREED - T H A T the draft Fishing Strategy
for Cardiff Bay be endorsed.
(f) Cardiff
Executive Meeting Report - For Information -
AGREED - T H A T the report to Cardiff
Executive Business Meeting on 8th November, 2007
relating to Groundwater Monitoring for the period July 2006 to June
2007 be noted.
(g)
Minutes of Meetings - For Information -
AGREED - T H A T the contents of the minutes
of the following meetings be noted:
(i)
Harbour Events Group - 4th September, 2007.
(ii)
Environmental Communication Forum - 10th October,
2007
(iii)
Waterfront Partners - 18th October, 2007.
(h)
Any Other Business -
(i) Bay
Point
The Chairman announced that he had been
lobbied by members of Penarth Town Council concerning the affect on
wind flows of the proposed Bay Point development.
Mr. Barry, in support, stated that he had been
submitting formal complaints about high buildings being constructed
in areas of mixed leisure and amenity use in view of the affect
they had on the wind. Mr. Barry asserted that this should be
a matter for consideration when planning applications for tall
buildings were submitted.
AGREED - T H A T the observations of the
Advisory Committee be passed to the Planning Officer of Cardiff
Council and that he be invited to attend the next meeting of the
Advisory Committee to explain his Council’s policy on such
matters.
(ii) S.E. Wales
Rivers Trust
Mr. Taylor advised that the S.E. Wales Rivers
Trust had recently been established (the official launch would be
held in January 2008).
The aim of the Trust would be protecting the
rivers and educating children:
·
the Trust would use a mix of education/young
offenders/volunteers/working with the Environment Agency;
·
Charitable Status would be sought in some 12 months time with a
view to the Trust making application for financial assistance.
AGREED - T H A T a future meeting of the
Advisory Committee receive a presentation on the work of the S E
Wales Rivers Trust.
(iii)
Date of Next Meeting
The date of the next meeting was confirmed as
Wednesday 16th January, 2008 at 5.15pm in the Cardiff
Harbour Authority Offices.