Meeting 18 October 2006

Swanage Bay Users Association
Minutes of meeting
Held on Wednesday 18th October at Swanage Sailing Club.



Apologies for absence: Sue & David Chalcroft, Mike Marsh, Terry Warren, Tom Greasty, Adam, Jeremy & Simon Wylie.

Present: Roger Marsh, Mike Hadley, Mark Rowley, John Lucas, Steve Turner. Martin Slater, Sarah Broadway, Anthony Burgess, Amanda Rowley, Will Gibson, Yasmin Marsh, Pete Williams, Pat Collins, Christopher Rabson. Martin Jones

Opening: Chairman, Roger Marsh opened the meeting & read a letter he had sent to the Beach management committee

Appointments: The members appointed Mark Rowley as Treasurer, John Lucas as Deputy Chairman & Amanda Rowley as secretary. Pete Williams & Pat Collins were voted onto the committee.

Web site: Mike Hadley reported that there is now a Swanage Bay Users Association web site up and running in the form of a blog spot where visitors can post their comments about any related issues. www.swanagebayuserassociation.blogspot.com

Contacts: All members were asked to update the records of contact details to include email addresses.

Constitution: the members approved the draft constitution for the Association unanimously


Issues raised:

Condor Swell: to contact beach inspectors for their opinions on issue. Martin & Roger have kept logs of particularly high swells.

Moorings: The Sailing Club and commercial operators as particularly keen to have clearer guidelines, prompt leases renewals and accurate positions for moorings in the bay. Roger Marsh explained the different areas of the bay and which Associations are responsible for moorings in these areas. Action: Letter to be sent to Moorings Associations for clarification of procedures for leases on moorings.

Unmarked buoyant nets: The issue was raised of the visibility and the dangerous nature of buoyant nets that are left in the bay. Members would like to know where they stand in the event of an accident or damage to their craft by running into one of these nets. Action: Letter to Fisherman’s Association requesting more visible markings of nets and to log the Associations concerns.

Slipway: It was expressed that the standards of maintenance of the slipway are not always consistent and at Spring tides the slipway can be covered in rocks, which are not moved promptly by the council and makes launching difficult especially when fee is paid to launch. Action: Letter to council expressing concern.

Slipway: Idea for council to introduce a park & launch scheme. Members noted that it is not always easy to find a parking space for their towing vehicle after they have launched. Therefore their launched craft can be left tied to the slipway wall for a long time and therefore blocking other users whilst they try & find a parking space. Action: Recommend to council allocating spaces in car park, Boat Park or fishermen’s spaces for towing vehicles of boats that have paid to launch at the Boat Park.

Signage: Numerous issues were raised about inadequate signage around the bay & the boat park as both informative for visiting craft to area and for safety, including an explanation of diver marker flags at slipway.

Divers markers: Pat & Pete to supply details of the meanings of the flags which will be posted on web site.

Security: Concerns were raised over the security at the Boat Park especially from the peir onwards to the sheds. Pat / Pete to look into cameras

Fundraising: John Lucas suggested fundraising both on behalf of the Association such as approaching the Carnival committee and as the Association on behalf of local charities

Five knot Buoys: The members felt that the buoys were not visible enough, the position of the buoys is not standard each year with members expressing concern that the buoys seem to be creeping further down to Sheps Hollow.

(Minutes: Amanda Rowley)

Marina (again!)

See "Keeping Swanage afloat" on

http://www.swanageview.blogspot.com/#116299185050560255

What's it all about?

1. This meeting was held on 19 July, following an ad placed by Roger Marsh in the Advertiser asking interested people to gather at the Sailing Club.There was general debate about the point of the meeting.

2. Roger explained how his initial concern was for a way for people to exchange views and information. His first thoughts had been for those with commercial interests, but the meeting debated the scope and agreed there was value in a group that represented everyone with an interest in the bay. This included commercial boat users, fisherman, boat hirers, businesses around the shoreline, sailors, swimmers, RNLI, Coastguard, divers....

3. Mike Hadley (Swanage Town Councillor) pointed out that the Council already has a Swanage Beach Committee with apparently similar aims, and there is a danger of duplicating effort and getting wires crossed. But the meeting seemed to feel there was value in this separate body.

4. It was agreed to initially make a list of some topics that were of interest to people, to get a measure of the scope of issues. These could then be addressed at a later meeting. Topics included:
1/Constitution: someone (?) agreed to speak with Steve Williams about this, to take his experience from the Sailing/Rowing? Club
2/Safety in the bay
3/Water-ski area: zoning?
4/Boat park: access/barrier?
5/Boat park: channel from slipway?
6/Store pots: ??
7/Divers' markers : smb
8/Speed restriction buoys, extent
9/Fishermens sheds
10/Parking for concession owners
11/Seagulls mess on seats in square & quay and on boats; danger (pecking)in Square
12/Moorings policy/procedure

5. Names and contact details were taken of those present: to be recorded separately

6. Subscription. It was agreed that members should pay £5 towards admin, and £150 was raised at the meeting. Roger Marsh was refunded £50 for the cost of the ad he placed.
Names of paid-up members to be recorded separately

Members

Do members want their names and contact details (phone numbers/email addresses) posted here. My feeling is probably best not, otherwise coudl end up with all sorts getting in touch. What do you think?

Subscriptions

Subscriptions of £5 were received from:
Roger Marsh x 2; M.Rowley;John Taylor;Will Gibson; Jeremy Wylie; Simon Wylie; Pete William; Mike Marsh; Will Gibson; John Lucas; Sarah Broadway; Andrew Burgess; Dick Woodford; Terence Carey; Sue Carey; Mike Hadley; David Chalcraft; Terry Warren; Les Marshal;Jason O'Connell; Dave Bowden; Justin Stream; Paul Mc Donald: Steven Turner; Barry England; Adam Wylie; Martin Jones; Tom Greasty; Julian Walken, Chris Rabson
Total received: £150 (held by ??!) less £50 paid to R. Marsh for ad announcing meeting

apologies for any misspellings...

Committee

The following were elected to the committee:

Roger Marsh: Chairman
John Lucas
John Taylor
Mark Rowley
Tom Greasty
Mike Hadley (agreed to represent the Council. However, later advised that a councillor has to be elected by other council members to represent the council's interest on any outside body. To be discussed at STC)

NEW SUBJECT

If you have a new topic you would like to raise, please post it as a 'comment' here. You can include your name with your posting, or create a 'blogger' account.