Jointly hosted by Thames Water and the Wandle Trust to launch public consultation on the next 5 years of the Wandle’s restoration, almost 100 local residents and stakeholders attended a Public Meeting on Monday 17 March 2008, from 7.00pm to 9.00pm, in the Function Room at Morden Hall.
Chaired by Zoe Colbeck (Chair of the Wandle Forum and Property Manager of the National Trust’s Morden Hall Park), an impressive lineup of expert speakers also included:
- Thames Water: Richard Aylard
- Wandle Trust: Theo Pike
- Wandle Forum / Wandle Valley Regional Park strategy: Angela Gorman
- APEM survey headline results: Stuart Clough
- Riverfly Partnership: William Tall
- EA river restoration ideas: Jo Heisse
After the presentations, the floor was thrown open for questions: here are the Wandle Trust’s notes on the questions asked and answers given.
If you’d like to ask more questions, or if you have any ideas for the healthy future of the Wandle, please contact us, and we’ll do our best to help!
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Q: Mr Smith / local resident
Where is the money coming from for this restoration fund? Are people’s water rates going to increase or is it coming from the Chairman’s pocket?
A: Richard Aylard / Thames Water
All the money is coming from funds that would otherwise be going to shareholders. Water rates will not be going up as a result.
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Q: Lee Evans / Wandle fisherman for 20 years
At Hackbridge and Mitcham, the river looks like concrete channels full of hard core. What is going to be done to make it more pleasant, improve the river and areas close to it for public amenities?
A: Richard Aylard / Thames Water
The quarter of a million pound restoration fund is to improve the river, areas close to the river for fishing and public amenity access. We want locals to bid for these projects, all of which will need EA support and approval to do. We will look at projects on a case by case basis, and also investigate whether more money can be levered in. Please go onto the discussion forum and let us know what you think.
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Q: Emily Brennan / London Wildlife
How is the money allocated to the restoration fund going to be streamed? Is it on a first come first served basis?
A: Richard Aylard / Thames Water
A Steering Group consisting of Thames Water, the Wandle Trust, the National Trust, the ACA and the EA A steering group has already met and set out the criteria for allocating funds. We will look at best value for money e.g. if £10k will lever in additional money. There are no hard and fast split between types of activities: it’s about biodiversity and public amenity. We are already looking at Watermeads, building on works done by other organisations, but no final decisions have yet been taken.
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Q: Nick Spencer / Wandle Trust
What is the timescale for the Wandle Valley Regional Park?
A: Angela Gorman / Groundwork London and Wandle Forum
There will be a spatial vision and implementation plan published in June which is when the (SAUL) money runs out. Within this plan is a fundraising plan. We are looking at examples like Thames Landscape Strategy which has a 100 year plan.
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Q: Debbie Leach / Thames 21
With all the interest in the River Wandle, what should people do to help?
A: Theo Pike / Wandle Trust
Everyone is welcome to our monthly cleanups, and we need volunteers every year to help with Trout in the Classroom. There has also been recent interest in running projects with other species – for instance perch and barbel – in the classroom. This could lead to an expansion of activities throughout the school year. Once we start on real river restoration, we also hope to get people in the river removing the hardcore, putting in flow deflectors etc. Volunteer Riverfly Monitors are also welcome. Come to the web forum and we’ll talk to you online…
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Q: Terry Gough / local angler
What are the new precautions to stop such a pollution spill from happening again?
A: Richard Aylard / Thames Water
Additional monitoring has been installed on the flow leaving Beddington Sewage Works, alarms will cause flow to divert into storm tanks where investigation can follow. Thames Water is working with the EA to look at standards for the works, and the EA may decide that these standards need to be more stringent. Beddington is one of our better urban treatment works.
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Q: Alan Moody / local resident
Why isn’t the area surrounding the Beddington works being turned into leisure facilities?
A: Richard Aylard / Thames Water
This isn’t really within our jurisdiction – the site is owned by other people – but please post something onto the discussion forum and Thames Water will respond.
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Q: Vicki Carroll / Wandle Valley Festival
How can local groups applying for funding, and how will the Steering Group committee ensure visibility, accountability and transparency?
A: Richard Aylard / Thames Water
Applications received will be published on the Wandle Trust forum / website, as will whether or not funding has been approved. Thames Water will make known what will be funded and make everyone aware on what the money has been spent. Everything will be as transparent as possible.
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Q: Vicki Carroll / Wandle Valley Festival
Will there be publicity to reach a wider audience?
A: Richard Aylard / Thames Water
Press releases will be issued to publicise activities so that local people can get involved.
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Q: Simon Johnson / Wild Trout Trust
The Wild Trout Trust has been involved with the Wandle Trust for several years. The WTT is currently interviewing officers for their new Trout in the Town initiative and the WTT will be happy to free up some of that person’s time to help the Wandle Trust. The WTT has also secured some private funding which could leverage more finances.
A: General thanks and applause
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Q: Jed Edge / MHPAC
Could more / larger fish be introduced to the Wandle?
A: Tanya Houston / EA
The fish the EA is able to source for the Wandle are only 1 to 2 years old: at the moment the EA doesn’t have any plans to stock larger fish.
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Q: Richard Harris / Biodiversity Officer, London Borough of Sutton
Additional funding for the river restoration will be crucial: Sutton Council will be very happy to offer their experience of funding bids to help tap into EU funding.
A: General thanks and applause
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Q: Zigi Sinnette / MHPAC
Have Thames Water looked into installing bio-filters in tributaries across the Wandle catchment, and have they considered reed beds at Beddington?
A: Richard Aylard / Thames Water
Unless the water comes from the sewage works, Thames Water look to the local authorities and the EA to manage the water. In terms of reed beds, the area required would unfortunately be too big to be practicable.
A: Theo Pike / Wandle Trust
Urban run-off and what it contains is one of our major concerns in the restoration of the River Wandle. Flashy, polluted high flow events also wash small fish down and even out of the river: creating offline channels and refuges fish will definitely have to be looked at.
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Q: Paul Killingback / local resident
Are any of the bodies keeping a list of bird, fish and mammal life on the Wandle?
A: Jo Heisse / EA
The best place to look is the gigl website which (greenspace information for greater London – www.gigl.org.uk) with its records of local biodiversity and open spaces.
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Q: Bill Ashton / MHPAC
How much money is put aside to be spent on Beddington Sewage Works and how much for wildlife?
A: Richard Aylard / Thames Water
Half a million pounds is being spent on the Wandle over the next 5 years. None of this money has or will be spent on the sewage works: all the upgrades there will come out of Thames Water’s engineering budget.
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Q: Nicholas Hart / Wandle Industrial Museum
What about the Wandle Trail which needs upgrading?
A: Angela Gorman / Groundwork London and Wandle Forum
Groundwork has been involved with the Wandle Trail for a number of years. It has not dropped off the agenda. As it is a shared route or a green way, SUSTRANS have been involved as have LAW (Landowners Along the Wandle). TfL need pressure on them to acquire money.
A: Richard Aylard / Thames Water
The further we get away from the centre of the river, the less likely it is that (any project) will be funded. The focus is on the river and river banks.
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Q: Patrick Battersby / local resident
Weed infestations of Japanese knotweed, floating pennywort and giant hogweed are all a problem. Which body is going to be responsible for eradicating these species?
A: Jo Heisse / EA
Invasive species are certainly a big problem along the Wandle. There is already a programme of spraying, but only when there is flood risk. Japanese knotweed is the landowners’ responsibility.
A: Theo Pike / Wandle Trust
The Wandle Trust is currently consulting the EA and local Councils about the floating pennywort: it is definitely one of our major concerns for the next 5 years.
A: Zoe Colbeck / National Trust
The National Trust’s warden and volunteers have pulled a lot of pennywort out of the river at Morden Hall, and hope people have noticed!
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Q: Melvin Churchill / Mitcham resident
Swarms of midges have been blighting the lives of local residents. Was the pollution responsible?
A: Stuart Clough / APEM
It is unlikely that the midge/mosquito population has exploded because of the pollution spill, increase is probably due to low flow or organic enrichment of the river.
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Q: Neil Paxton / Wandle Trust
Is there any possibility of connecting the north to the south part of the Wandle Trail at Earlsfield?
A: Angela Gorman / Groundwork London and Wandle Forum
Earlsfield is indeed the “missing link” in the Wandle Trail. However, there are private landowner issues, engineering issues and railway company issues. It would take a lot of money to directly connect the north part of the trail to the south part. TfL have a new funding programme – Greenways – and Earlsfield cyclists are involved with lobbying this initiative.
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Q: Chris Carter / Friends of Beddington and Grange Park
Where has the quarter of a million pound ceiling come from? Will bids have a ceiling too? For example narrowing of the river channel at Beddington could cost £50,000. Would Thames Water contemplate this? And if granted, would another allocation be considered?
A: Richard Aylard / Thames Water
There are no rules about capping any bids. Each case will be judged on its merits. We would like to use the money to draw in more money, which is one reason why the Wandle Trust may be employing a fundraiser.
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Q: Richard Bailey / Sutton Council
Would there be any chance of looking at areas outside the stretch of the river that was polluted?
A: Richard Aylard / Thames Water
The whole river should be considered as one eco-system. The ecology of the river and valley for the recreation of local people is the most important thing. The most damaged area is of primary importance but the Steering Group will look at the whole river.
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Q: Richard Barnes / GLA & Sutton Nature Conservation Volunteer
Another big issue is the quality of water coming down from the Carshalton arm of the river, plus lower flow because of abstraction from the aquifer. We must urge people to look at opportunities to maintain water flow, and need to work to improve the flow.
A: Richard Aylard / Thames Water
Abstraction from chalk streams is indeed a big issue. Licences for abstraction are being more closely monitored. The Carshalton arm is overseen by Sutton and East Surrey Water, not Thames Water. Two examples to avoid less abstraction – pump the effluent from the sewage works back upstream (but this is very expensive) or purify and expect people to drink treated water. This is never popular and encourages people to reach for bottled water which is not what Thames Water want.
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Q: Anonymous attendee
Whose responsibility are bats?
A: Richard Aylard / Thames Water
This is an issue for individual landowners to look at. On any Thames Water site, roosting bats are not disturbed.
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Q: Dave Blake / MHPAC
What about a tank for the education centre? Clive Terry was expecting literature from the Wandle Trust but has got nothing.
A: Richard Aylard / Thames Water
The tank that was first suggested has now been used for something else. In any case funding has already been sent for a tank and much more: Thames Water are looking forward to a report on the Education Centre’s progress.
A: Theo Pike / Wandle Trust
Both Clive and Dave have been given specific contact details at the Wandle Trust on several occasions. Please talk to Gideon Reeve, our Trout in the Classroom co-ordinator, we’re here to help.
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Q: Alex Dawtrey / Wandle Trust
Is the process of engaging with the EA and flood defences a limiting factor in the execution of projects?
A: Jo Heisse / EA
Work is planned with flood defence people to try and come up with a solution, and a Wandle Flood Risk Strategy is being developed at the moment. Flood Defence are looking at proposals as part of the EA consent process.
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Q: Angela Gorman / Groundwork London and Wandle Forum.
To Thames Water: would you consider part funding a development plan for leisure opportunities on the river e.g. boating, as costs are incurred when planning projects and looking at feasibility studies?
A: Richard Aylard/Thames Water
Not ruled out.
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Q: John Bishop / local resident
Abstraction is a problem for the Wandle. Is waste/grey water being adequately recycled? Is rain water being used? There are 2 systems to getting rid of waste water. Are people aware that drain pipe water ends up in the river?
A: Theo Pike / Wandle Trust
Agree that public awareness needs to be raised about wise water use. The Wandle Trust will also be helping Thames Water and EA inform local residents about the problem of misconnected drains, by means of an article in the Wandle Trust’s next newsletter.
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Q: Jed Edge / MHPAC
If local anglers find an alternative source of fish e.g. barbel, can they introduce them into the river themselves?
A: Tanya Houston / EA
No because risk of disease is high. All fish stocks need a clean bill of health from the EA before they are introduced into rivers…
A: John Sutton / EA
The EA does not want to encourage the depletion of other rivers. We all need to be in this for the long term and not find short term solutions. Large fish are not going to be supplied just to appease anglers. The EA want fish born in the Wandle.
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Q: Anonymous local angler
I have only ever had my rod licence checked once on the Wandle. More EA bailiffs are needed!
A: Tanya Houston / EA
We do appreciate that this is an issue and we will remedy this. Morden Hall have their own local bailiffs and the EA are working with Community Support Officers to help with patrols. If you know people are fishing in an illegal way, please contact the EA’s emergency hotline 0800 807060. If you can, make a note of patterns to illegal fishing – e.g. someone fishes every Tuesday night.
A: Zigi Sinnette / MHPAC
Informed the meeting that non legal practices and poaching is going down, which can only benefit everyone.
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Q: Anonymous attendee
What about getting money back from the Lea Valley?
A: Angela Gorman / Groundwork London and Wandle Forum
30 years ago an Act of Parliament was passed which ruled that money from council tax payers across London, and including the Wandle Valley (Croydon, Sutton, Merton and Wandsworth) is sent to the Lea Valley. Only time and local public support will achieve an overturn of this, and get the money redirected to the Wandle Valley.
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Q: Vicki Carroll / Wandle Valley Festival
What is the timeframe for the restoration project bidding process?
A: Richard Aylard / Thames Water
The criteria will be published on the website within a week to ten days. How the process will work: send an email with a brief expression of interest, and guidance will be given so that applicants can put in the best proposal possible. Once significant proposals are submitted, decisions will be made. At this stage, the Watermeads proposal is being looked at: it already “ticks lots of boxes”.
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End of questions. The meeting closed at 9.00pm.