2021-04-30-accounts

– River Wey Trust Annual Report

Activities during the year

Allees Meadow:

• A four-year development plan for Allees Meadow has been drawn up, including a riverside boardwalk and path. An application for funding was made to the EHDC, under their Wealden Heath Infrastructure Projects scheme. Unfortunately, the council reconsidered their scheme after the submission of applications and the funding became unavailable. We will search for funding from other sources.

• there have been three successful work parties at the meadow – working in conjunction with staff from the BLPC, we have been clearing scrub and removing balsam. The amount of balsam seemed much reduced this year, following our efforts in previous years.

Griggs Green:

• Two dangerous trees at the front of the property at the Longmoor Road were removed earlier in the year

• more recently, more extensive tree work over the whole site has taken place to remove dangerous and damaged branches – all the works have been completed by a professional tree surgeon

• a neighbour in one of the cottages at Griggs Green has asked the RWT to allow him to access his property from the Longmoor Road. The trustees have agreed in principle, in return for the payment of a suitable fee. However, at the moment it is not clear whether the appropriate local authority permissions will be forthcoming. The neighbour is awaiting feedback from HCC.

• Land at Radford Bridge:

• As was previously reported, the planning application from Green Construct for a development on a small portion of the land was rejected, and since then there have been no major developments.

• Green Construct recently contacted the Trust about convening a site meeting with the various interested parties, but currently that has not materialized.

• We will continue to assess the situation with the end objective of acquiring most of the land (to add to Allees Meadow), if possible.

• The trust is continuing to monitor the condition of the sewage pipe and the amount of Japanese knotweed, on the land, so that action can be taken if necessary.

Passfield Sluice:

• a working party to add more stones to the fish passage was planned in September. However, after a site assessment it was noted that the path accessing the sluice requires repair. Also, it was decided that a fully considered structural plan was needed before more stones are placed in the river.

• Therefore the Executive sub-committee agreed that professional assistance should be sought (the trust does hold some funds for this) before any other work is undertaken. We will be contacting a specialist company to investigate next steps.

• ‘New’ Initiatives:

• the kick-testing programme that was developed in 2020 has (at last!) started with the help of Frensham Fly Fishers. Three volunteers have received training and we are currently organising training for several more volunteers. After a team of five, or six volunteers have been trained, we will institute a regular testing programme at Allees Meadow and Griggs

Green. The first kick-testing session at Allees Meadow will take place in the near future.

• the school’s initiative, and presentations of the sandbox have been continued by Alistair Young. He has sought to raise the interest of local schools unfortunately with little success. However, despite the lack of local interest, he has continued to display the sandbox far and wide. He has been able to raise awareness of the RWT and in the process has raised some useful sums for the Trust.

• The river walks initiative is currently ‘on hold’. Local hearsay suggests that turnout has been low, when other groups have tried to organize nature walks. Therefore, we have decided to delay this initiative to next spring. We hope to enlist the help of the Surrey Wildlife Trust with regard to the identification of the flora and fauna that might be encountered on walks, at that time.

• Other matters:

• the update of the River Wey Guidebook is continuing. The update will be available via the website

• the Trust is continuing to examine and, where relevant, comment on local planning applications – e.g. a retrospective planning application for a coach park at Passfield Business Park, an application for a lawful use of the old sewage works at Passfield and an application for a housing development at Camelsdale.

• The role of Membership Secretary is to be taken over by Michael Croucher. We have had several new friends join us during the course of the year and we would ask everyone to encourage their friends and neighbours to join the trust and take part in our activities.

Future Plans

Allees Meadow:

• we intend to have more working parties at the meadow, although these will be subject to the vagaries of the weather in the next few months

• the four-year development plan will be pursued, and funding will be sought

• a ‘funding working group is going to be established to investigate sources of funding for this project and for other activities of the Trust.

• Griggs Green:

• the Trust will await developments regarding the request for an access. A solicitor has been appointed to represent the Trust’s interest, should it appear that local authority permissions are forthcoming.

• appropriate safety/warning signs will be installed at the front and back of the property.

Land at Radford Bridge:

• the Trust will attend a site meeting if one takes place and will continue to await any other developments

• a ‘balsam bash’ will be organized next year if necessary.

New Initiatives:

• the Trust intends to provide more support for river studies programmes including sandbox presentations

• kick-testing at Allees Meadow (and later at Griggs Green) will be initiated

• the kick-testing training programme will be continued

• the river walks initiative will be started in the spring if there is sufficient interest.

Treasurer’s Report:

Income was lower than the previous year because of the annual summer’s party cancellation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the significant decrease in interest from bank deposits. Outgoings were higher than predicted because of arboreal safety work at Griggs, plus the purchase of a light-proof gazebo for the sandbox display. Much of the money in the reserves was designated for Passfield sluice upgrade and for anticipated costs if the Trust was granted land at Radford bridge adjacent to Allees Meadow.

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