ANNUAL
REPORTS,
(as
presented to the Group AGM on
GROUP
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
Thank you Don for your tribute to Brian Stevens, who will be sorely missed by the group. My personal favourite memory of him was his impersonation of Mick Jagger - it was a joy to behold.
In November 2007, I became Chair stepping into the shoes of John Scott (a very hard act to follow!).
On
December 16th our Christmas Walk was followed by a Christmas Dinner
and carols at a local hostelry and a mad dash to catch the train home. On
3rd January 2008 at the New Year Supper Colin Statham, who had celebrated
his 80th birthday was presented with a framed photograph of
the Express & Star article on his war time experience in the
Navy. We also congratulated Jim Day and Phil Holmes on their participation
in a charity trek to the
The group had walks programmes that were varied and well attended and included our annual Children-in-Need walk. What was particularly pleasing was the fact that despite the absolutely appalling weather for the four summer month, our intrepid members still turned up for the walks. The three weekends away were St Mawes (May), Keswick (July) and Bideford (September). The first two weekends were very well attended, but for the second year the September weekend numbers were poor and the Walks Coordinator will talk to you about this later.
There
were two innovative projects, firstly a coach trip in March, to walk 3
local peaks,
The group ran a publicity stall at the Warley Woods Party in the Park and at the two-day Sandwell Show. There was a great deal of interest shown and we ran out of walks programmes! We are hoping this interest will result in people trying some of our walks.
Finally I would like to thank all the walk leaders, committee and general members who give up their valuable time for the benefit of the group.
Vivian Du Bois 13 November 2008
Report
of Sandwell Group Footpath/Access/Countryside Secretary for the twelve months
period - 1/10/07 to 30/9/08.
During the
twelve months under review, I have been involved with the following:-
1 -
Sandwell Rights of Way Improvement Plan (RoWIP).
My main involvement
with regard to footpaths during the last twelve months has continued to be with
the Rights of Way Improvement Plan for Sandwell which was completed and
approved by Council members in time to meet the Government deadline of November
2007. It is understood that it is one of a small number in the country to meet
this date.
Council officials gave a presentation to a Natural England conference held in
March 2008, on Rights of Way Improvement Plan funding and the implementation of
proposals in an urban environment. The organisers considered that the
presentation highlighted good practice and the Council was commended for its
Plan. The great number of detailed improvements in the plan reflects the
thorough consultation held with the local Access Forum, Walking in Sandwell
Forum, and local interest groups.
The Council has allocated 253,000 for measures to encourage walking for the 2008/2009 financial year. It will facilitate the improvements to footpaths along the River Tame in West Bromwich and a further nine paths which are included in the Rights of Way Improvement Plan. Additionally, the Council will be distributing 5000 leaflets shortly, throughout Sandwell, reminding landowners next to public paths of their responsibilities.
2 -
Forums and Committees.
I have represented
the Group at meetings of the following bodies:-
Walking in Sandwell Strategy Forum (3/10/07, 26/2/08, 10/9/08).
Sandwell Valley Trails Group (18/10/07, 22/11/07, 24/1/08, 28/2/08, 10/4/08, 11/9/08).
On
Sandwell Stride Leaders Meetings (
The Sandwell Stride Health Walks initiative, which started in a modest way in
1999, continues to flourish with walks in so many different locations that the current
reprint of the programme booklet runs to 20 pages!
Joyce Scott, Jill Woodward, Joyce Phillips & Jill Blackham attended a
Stride Leader Training Day on
SGRA now has John Craxford, June Newman, Joselyn Latunji, Joyce Phillips, Jill
Blackham, Jill Woodward, Joyce & John Scott, and Margaret Pritchard as
Stride Leaders. Peggy & Julian Desorgher are Walsall Leaders. We could do
with a few more from the Sandwell Group.
Sandwell
Borough Local Access Forum (LAF) (2/10/07, 9/1/08, 9/4/08, 23/7/08).
An innovative walkabout with Walsall LAF members was held on the morning of
Saturday 27/9/08 to inspect path improvements in the Friar Park area, which
crossed over Borough boundaries.
The LAF continues to have excellent support from Sandwell Council and
especially from the officers in the Rights and Way team.
I was
re-appointed Chairman of Sandwell LAF, for the third consecutive year, at the
AGM held on 23 July 2008.
3 - British Waterways,
West Midlands Waterways produced a comprehensive programme of canalside events
for April to December 2008, even more evidence of British Waterways keenness to
encourage walkers to use the canal towpaths. It features a walk by a
Staffordshire Ramblers Group and, perhaps, this is an area where Staffordshire
Groups could become greater involved in future programmes. The Sandwell Group
celebrated the great work done by British Waterways in reopening the Netherton
Tunnel by organising a walk in June 2008 both through and over this famous
local heritage site.
4 -
Sandwell Footpath Matters.
All Saints
Footpath No 36.
I sent a letter objecting to the order to close this footpath, to Magistrates
on 5/11/08 and attended the Magistrates Court hearing on Tuesday 12 November.
Due to the considerable opposition to this order, the matter was referred to a
District Judge on 11/1/08. On 2/1/08, the Council advised that it had withdrawn
the order.
Throughout this episode, I have been in close contact with the main local
residents objector, Janet Arnold, who has done a magnificent job in marshalling
local opposition. I took Janet to the Local Access Forum on 9/1/08 to
demonstrate the impact that local people can have on such matters.
Gating Orders.
Sandwells second gating order has been approved. As this is a well used path in
the daytime, the Council have agreed to arrange for the gates to be opened each
day at 7am and closed at 8pm, which seemed a fair compromise. Two further
orders are under consideration, Kitchener Street in Smethwick and Brandhall
Court in Rowley Regis.
5
- West Bromwich Pauper Memorial and Trail.
At long last, the Pauper Memorial was installed at
6 - Staffordshire
Area.
I represented the Sandwell Group at Staffs Area Council meetings at
Penkridge (
Thanks
to the 20 members who supported Sandwell Group (yet again by far the largest
contingent from an individual Group) at the Staffs Area AGM and morning
walk at Weston Coyney on Sunday 25 November 2007. We are hoping for similar
support for the 2008 Area AGM which is at Codsall, Staffs on Sunday 30 November
2008.
Sandwell Group is to host the 2009 Area AGM. On 16 July 2008, the
Chairman and I visited the Valley Club (formerly Hamstead British Legion) in
Tanhouse Avenue, which is close by the RSPB Centre in Sandwell Valley. A
large room has been reserved for this important event, which will be on Sunday
29 November 2009. We will have use of a large car park and the club will
provide a staffed bar at lunchtime.
7 - www.sandwellramblers.org.uk.
I have continued to maintain the Sandwell Group Website, which includes the
updated Winter Walks and Social programmes, as well as a Notice Board. Once
again, several people have joined us for walks this year, via this route.
John Scott 30 September 2008
(updated 6 February 2009)
To return to opening page - click index.html
To go to Introduction & General information
- click intro.html
To go to Walks Programme - click walk.html
To go to Social Programme - click soc.html
To go to Officers & Contacts - click contacts.html
To go to Notice Board - click notes.html
To go to Sandwell Stride Health Walks - click stride.html
To go to Walking in Sandwell Strategy - click strategy.html
To access The Ramblers national web site
- click www.ramblers.org.uk
To access Ramblers Staffordshire Area web site
- click www.staffordshireramblers.org.uk