Reigate Heath Steering Group minutes - 14 September 2021

Attendance

Minutes

21/01 - Chair’s opening remarks and meeting attendance

The Chair welcomed everybody to the meeting.

21/02   Apologies for absence

Cllr Blacker, Susan Medcalf, Trevor Mansfied

21/03 - Minutes of the last meeting

Actions from last meeting

21/03 Carried forward from last meeting.

21/05 Actioned. Complaints of too many signs installed. CW will report feedback from local residents.

21/06 Actioned. Complaint of Flanchford Road car park surface, DW to inform RBBC Engineer.

21/07 Actioned. DW to send copy to CW to comment. Following this DW will send a copy to Andrew Benson Head of Planning at RBBC.

21/09 Holly thinning actioned / No update on SCC footpath repairs / A new bin has been installed / Management Plan carried forward to next meeting / No update on Reigate Heath events other than ‘Love your heath’ day by RACV / RA to share bat report by next meeting.

21/10 Actioned.

21/04 - Golf club buggies and tee markers

DC shared documents showing replacement tee markers to the group. They are to be installed flush to the ground and will not be visually intrusive. DC confirmed that TM approved the design during a site meeting with the golf club.

Two buggies have been ordered to be used as part of the trial as already agreed by the group. DC confirmed that the original plan to erect a fence by the third green and fourth tee is no longer required. Two small sections of fencing will be erected by the lower section of the clubhouse, the purpose of this is for visitor safety.

JN expressed concerns that the heath is becoming more urbanised with the golf tees, buggies and fencing. The chair affirmed that the buggies will be accepted on the grounds that the council is complying with disability access legislation. The RBBC Legal Team have been consulted on this matter and have confirmed the council’s position.

HS confirmed that residents do not object to the use of buggies on the golf course. RA questioned whether Natural England have approved, DC confirmed that they have.

21/05 - Permissive horse ride repairs

EL provided a report she had made of the permissive horse ride outlining areas in need of repair and opportunities to improve ride edge habitat for heath flora. DW to read through and cross-reference with the Countryside Stewardship Agreement to identify any areas that could be targeted. DW expressed concerns over the labour available to undertake such works including hand digging horse rides which would require more than the existing one member of staff currently working on countryside sites. 

SE questioned where the monies from the Countryside Stewardship were spent. DW replied that the one thousand pounds RBBC receives is spent on the mechanical cut and collect of the acid grass area on the sports pitch, the provision of skips and disposal from RACV work parties.

SE asked what nature conservation tasks RBBC have undertaken since the last meeting. DW’s answer was that he should already know as he receives all notifications of works and it is written into the work programme.

21/06 - Work Programme

DW outlined that nature conservation works carried out by RBBC take place between November and February.

21/07 - AOB

RA reported on Surrey Hills AONB review. It is in progress with Natural England but cannot confirm whether Reigate Heath will be included at this time.

DW reported that he has been contacted by councillor from Buckland Parish in Mole Valley. The councillor has offered any support he can give to tackle illegal cycling on the heath and DW agreed to raise the offer at this meeting. There was no acknowledgement from the group. There was more interest in trying to contact those cycling clubs responsible, many of which come from south London and surrounding suburbs. It was agreed that Surrey County Councillor Furniss will be approached by the Chair to seek advice on how to tackle this.

21/08 - Date of next meeting

 The next meeting will be before the end of the year.

End of meeting.

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