Agenda item
Report from the London Borough of Barnet
Minutes:
Jenny Warren presented a report updating the committee on Barnet council’s position on the Local Nature Reserve (LNR) and on-going site management. The committee heard that there was an on-going maintenance requirement for several Willow trees sited to the rear of Dehar Crescent. Before work could proceed on these trees, it had been necessary to obtain the consent of Natural England. The committee was referred to Appendix A of the report, at which a schedule for Tree Management Works (Welsh Harp area 4b) was included, alongside a consent letter from Natural England. The committee was advised that the work on the trees to the rear of Dehar Crescent had since been completed.
Turning to the subject of Barnet Council’s Japanese Knotweed Control Programme, it was reported that following an annual inspection in April 2011, one area of new infestation had been located. There were also significant areas populated by Giant Hogweed. The weed control programme for invasive species would continue, and further control measures in the Welsh Harp would be carried out. The committee was informed that the Environment Agency had at present delayed this programme of works, pending the completion of further training by the contractor employed. It was hoped that this delay would not cause the window of opportunity for treatment of these plants to be missed.
Jenny Warren drew the committee’s attention to 9.1.3 of the report, highlighting that the Welsh Harp Working Group had not met for over six months. Consequently, it was felt that a review of the group and its ability to commit and deliver should be considered. The organisations which comprised the group were the London Borough of Barnet, the London Borough of Brent, British Waterways, the Welsh Harp Conservationists and the Welsh Harp Sailing Association.
In concluding her report to the committee, Jenny Warren advised that a number of changes to the infrastructure at Welsh Harp had taken place. Three new ranger litter bins and two new wooden sleeper benches had been installed along the main footpath from Brent to Cool Oak Lane and one dog bin had been removed from the west Hendon side of the welsh harp. A low metal vehicle barrier had also been installed to the car park entrance of Woodfield Park in April 2011 to help reduce the amount of fly tipping which was occurring in the car park. The committee further heard that in response to the increase in litter during the summer months, weekend litter patrols had commenced. A Health and Safety officer would be conducting an inspection of the Welsh Harp site with respect to Blue Green Algae, whilst installing signage around the water edge.
During discussion, several members referred to the issue waterways/bodies of water within the Welsh Harp area becoming hyper-eutrophic due to chemicals/substances from residential areas washing/flowing into them. Clive Cohen highlighted that there was a leaflet available from the Environment Agency which provided information on misconnected appliances and suggested that this information be distributed to residents. Councillor Hugh Rayner noted that many people would not know if their appliances were misconnected. Leslie Williams informed the committee that a previous investigation into the number of misconnections in an area had found thirty misconnections out of four hundred properties. Unfortunately, such investigation took considerable time to complete. He further noted that from 1st October 2011, the liability for private sewers would be transferred to the water companies. Jenny Warren explained that the responsibility for identifying misconnections lay either with the general public or the Environment Agency; however, water companies would be responsible for the outflow from a property and so their co-operation would be required in order to trace the source of contamination. Unfortunately, these agencies could not compel an individual to fix a misconnection and so the council was required for the purposes of enforcement. Jenny Warren added that despite the difficulties outlined above, attempts to tackle this problem had been quite successful. She further noted that Thames Water had a team dedicated to this task and the Environment Agency had completed a significant piece of related work. Following this discussion, it was agreed that Clive Cohen would arrange for copies of the leaflets to be forwarded to the clerk for distribution to the committee.
Several queries were raised regarding the tree management programme. Jenny Warren advised that Barnet Council had completed a survey of its parks and this included the nature reserve. The Welsh Harp was a site of special scientific interest (or triple S site) and that tree maintenance took place biannually. Roy Beddard emphasised that in order to maintain the triple S rating it was important that a wide range of habitats were maintained in the Welsh Harp. Geoffrey Johnson (Woolmead Residents’ Association) queried about the maintenance of trees in Woolmead Avenue. Councillor Julie Johnson advised that she understood it to be a site on a maintenance cycle of five years. Roy Beddard explained that the trees on that site were maintained by the Welsh Harp Conservation Group (WHCG) and maintenance had last taken place three to four years ago. If funding was available, the WHCG would arrange for further maintenance work in the future. In response to a query, Councillor Julie Johnson confirmed that she believed that the council should be responsible for maintenance of the trees at this site and added that she would explore this issue further.
Leslie Williams agreed that he would try to find a large map of the Welsh Harp area for future meetings of the committee.
With reference to the table included at Appendix A to the report, the Chair commented that it would be useful for a date for completion of the works to be included.
RESOLVED: - that the report be noted.
Supporting documents:
- Barnet - Wharp report 19 july 2011, item 7. PDF 204 KB
- Barnet - appendix A WH tree management July 2011, item 7. PDF 86 KB
- Barnet - Appendix A Brent Reservoir - LB Barnet - Consent - Tree Pruning - TQ28 1-4 - ED - 30 03 2011, item 7. PDF 147 KB