Steering Group Meeting

13 June 2024

www.debenestuarypartnership.org

Agenda

1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Minutes of the previous meeting (13Mar24)
3. Developments since our last meeting
4. Progress Reports (if any) from Chapter Leads
5. Finance Update
6. Any Other Business
7. Next Steps (and dates of future DEP meetings)
1. Thursday 19 September 2024, in the Deben Room, East Suffolk House, Melton
2. Thursday 19 December 2024, in the Deben Room, East Suffolk House, Melton
3. Thursday 13 March 2025? Location tbc

​

Developments since our last meeting

• DEP Trustee meeting immediately after last Steering Group meeting
• ESC Planning / National Landscapes / DEP meeting
• Funds available for tree planting along the river edge
• National Coastal Footpath approved by Secretary of State
• Donation from Bawdsey Coastal Partnership
• Proposed dedicated swimming areas in Woodbridge and elsewhere

​

Progress Reports

1. Flood Risk Management
2. Environment & Biodiversity
3. Water Quality & Wastewater Disposal
4. Terrestrial Planning
5. Marine Planning
6. Landscape & Heritage
7. Estuary Businesses
8. Agriculture / Land Management
9. Recreation & Leisure
10. Broader Constituencies

​

Current Chapter Headings:

Fresh Water Management?

Water Storage - irrigation or flood management?

Recreation & Leisure – Pete Greatrex

This report is mainly about process and procedure and does not actively discuss R and L issues.

The group comprises 4 members and was convened at the end of March . It has met 4 times. Thomas Yeung attended the most recent meeting of the group on 28/5/24 which was helpful to the group.

The work has been divided into the following broad categories over the period April to December 2024 .

1. Review of 2015 Document ( Ongoing )�2. Consultations with user groups and Public Agencies . ( Ongoing )�3. Research and Analysis�4. Drafting Review and linking with other Chapters and DEP .�

Stages of work underway .

1. Review of 2015 Document ( Narrative Sections ) It is intended to retain sections of this narrative , appropriately updated, utilising material from the consultations with user groups . In due course the policies sections will be newly drafted .
2. Consultations with User Groups and Public Agencies . This has been the main body of the work done so far by the group . A common introduction has been used comprising an overall Mission Statement together with a brief summary of the main changes affecting R and L issues since the last plan :- eg population growth , the new coastal path and an increase in newer forms of river use . A specific questionnaire has been submitted to each user group relating to the scale and scope of their activities , issues , problems , opportunities they face and their views on the public policy framework they operate within , broadly as follows . Sailing Clubs , Rowing and Canoe clubs , other Paddling groups , The Ipswich and area Ramblers Association- who are circulating the questionnaire to their individual members . A questionnaire had also just been sent out to all the local Parish Councils on R and L matters .�It is intended to establish contact with other R and L stakeholders such as camping and caravan sites , holiday accommodation providers and other user groups of the estuary and it’s hinterland such as birdwatching groups and fishing groups .�We have had a good and positive response from user groups thus far , both formally and by way of telephone conversations .These responses are being considered by the group .  A response from one or two groups is still awaited .

�Points for discussion .

So far there has not been a response from our enquiries to the National Trust at Sutton Hoo . Should each chapter group consult with a large public organisation ? Or should individual chapter issues be combined and handled by the DEP Exec ? Similarly our group would like to establish consultation / dialogue with key R and L Public Authorities such as SCC and ESC on R and L matters - for example to better understand issues associated with the new coastal path . Are we free to pursue these matters as we feel appropriate , or should this activity be handled more centrally via the DEP . Timing issues and potential delays could result .�

Guidance on these latter two questions would be welcome .

Update from Peter Youngs

• Unfortunately my wife is not well at present so not sure if I can make�tomorrows meeting so I offer my apologies if I do not appear.
• Concerning FC 1 sea wall repair, Simon is up to date on this and can add�any comments necessary. It will be interesting to hear if Charles or the�EA have any further suggestions.
• I have virtually completed the Agric and Land use chapter but still need�to put it past Rob Wise (NFU) and perhaps James Foskett.
• I have also created a Fresh Water Management Chapter because fresh water has far wider implications than irrigation for agric and does not fit�nicely into any other chapters. I am waiting to have a chat with John�Patrick (ESWAG) on this and will then put it past the EA for comment.

Update from Andy Went (ESRT)

The Recovering the Deben_Source to Sea project submitted a Water Restoration Fund application on Friday morning, meeting the deadline for funding applications. Thank you for your and the DEP’s ongoing support with this work programme. The project website is now live  Recovering the Deben: Source to Sea | EssexSuffolkRivers | Finchingfield (essexsuffolkriverstrust.org), which also has an questionnaire to complete should your members be interested in completing it. The application comprised of three feasibility studies which aim to:

• Improve fish migration throughout the River Deben (source to sea).
• Install a pilot attenuation pond to an estuarine crag stream that feeds directly into the estuary to try and reduce nutrients levels and to create new wetland features at Sutton Hoo
• Scrutinise and examine the potential installation of ‘super buffer strips’ along the fluvial lengths of the River Deben and its tributaries to help reduce the affects of agriculture and to improve habitat connectivity.

We will know if we have been successful with the bid by the end of July.

Update from Andy Went (ESRT)

Update on other activities:

• The ESRT (with volunteers) will be undertaking Himalayan balsam control (hand pulling) on the River Fynn on seven days throughout June.
• We will be continuing to work with the Recovering the Deben Working Group to develop further funding, monitoring groups, and project development specifically for the estuary, focussing on water quality and potentially saltmarsh.

Update from Andy Smith – 08Jun24

• I became a Trustee of DEP Ltd 14/3/24, and formally became Treasurer on Unity Bank accepting the change 26/4/24. 
• I am now keeping a local record of our accounts in spreadsheet format as a cross-check on the bank accounts and to facilitate production of reports such as below.
• The transition to using Online banking has been successful in enabling instant access to our account balances, statements and the like.�However, the next stage of enabling fellow Trustee signatories to assist in Online verification of payments (any 2 of 3) has been to say the least frustrating, and is still not complete. Accordingly, we have retained Peter Youngs as a signatory for the time being, pending completion of enabling Simin Read and Malcolm Hodd to approve payments online, in order to avoid the geographical issue of moving cheques between Felixstowe and the Deben peninsula.

​

Update from Andy Smith – 08Jun24

4) The “CCCs” Account(s)

We have received two grants from different elements of the government’s “Championing Coastal Communities” scheme, both via the good offices of Helene Burningham.

A) £ 8,950 in November 2021, with limited paperwork and wide terms of refence enabling us considerable freedom on the spend of that within the wide terms of reference of the scheme. Latterly, we have been spending part of this balance on expansion and consolidation of the Deben Marine Centre at Bawdsey Quay.

B) £4,800 on a short-time frame project application by Helene Burningham, including funding input from a PhD student under Helene’s supervision. We have spent £929.20 on this to date, with the remainder, including the Student element of £3,200 yet to be finalised and invoiced to us by Helene. But I understand that this expenditure has to be demonstrably allocated to that project.

I have therefore decided to show these as “CCC1” and “CCC2” in our accounts.

Update from Andy Smith – 08Jun24

5) Interest received from our Deposit Account: The major part, but not the entirety, of the Deposit Account is the outstanding unspent CIL Award, I have therefore allocated the interest between the CIL fund and our Maintenance fund in due proportions.

6) Our Accounts for the Financial year 1/2/2023 to 31/1/24 were finalised by Peter Youngs and have been submitted to our Auditor.

7) We were most grateful to receive a donation from Simon Read of £50 from Waldringfield Wildlife Group, as a donation to DEP in recognition of a talk he gave to them about our work.

8) We were also most grateful to receive a note from Bawdsey Parish Council of their intention to donate a small remaining fund which they hold relating to the former Bawdsey Coastal Partnership, when they have finalised their detailed records.

Update from Andy Smith – 08Jun24