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Email :h.attwelldavis@btintemet. com
Mike Carran
Head of Sport and Leisure
Tendring District Council
Clacton Town Hall
25 October 2019
Dear Mike Carran
Clacton and Holland Beach tlut Associatiom
Firstly, may I say how disappointed the members of our association and I
were that Tendring District Council were not represented at our End of
Season Meeting held last Saturday, 11th October 2019.
We have outstanding issues with you from our previous meeting (the
AGM held 11th May 2019) and new issues raised at the End of Season
Meeting (EOS) and the membership has asked me to write to you for
your response in these matters.
1 AGM - In all the rubbish bins, the slots are not large enough to put
large carrier bags of rubbish in, hence bags of rubbish being left
outside the bins. EOS - can TDC supply some larger bins i.e. with
lift up lids?
AGM - Can some bottle banks be supplied?
2 AGM - Rats were reported as being sighted particularly in A
Section. (Mike Cross) said the Contractor was putting down
bait boxes, however, to date no bait boxes have been seen between
A Section and Flags Cafe. EOS - members up as far as H Section
have sighted mice and rats. Can we have bait boxes along all the
seafront?
3 AGM - A Section have tap and drain problems thought to be due
to sand and waste products. TDC were aware of this problem and
were considering solutions including a grille with basket and
signage - progress please.
Also still no water in Block D, this was turned off 23rd July 2015
EOS - taps are not working in G Section.
5 AGM - what is happening about weeds and foliage on steps and
slopes down to the lower promenade. This is the responsibility of
TDC's Open Spaces Department we understand. Update please.
6 EOS - in view of the tragic incidents that happened earlier this
year, would TDC consider extending the seasonal beach patrols to
more than two a day for the whole of the sea front including A to J
Sections, as well as the Pier and K Section. This was raised by one
of our newer members who used to run beach patrolling in
Clacton some time ago and was questioning current provision.
7 AGM - At a previous meeting, Colin Sargeant spoke about cyclists
and that once the cliff stabilization scheme was complete, a revised
cyclist route 150 would be initiated along the Tendring coastline
resulting in cyclists only going along a dedicated cycle route on the
top promenade, instead of the up and down route in place at the
moment, thus leaving the lower promenade free from bicycles and
safer for pedestrians and children. Progress report please.
8 AGM and EOS - A member has once again requested a hand rail
going between the upper and lower promenade at J Section, she felt
this was a safety issue.
9 AGM and EOS - A member reported that the security gates
particularly at E Section are regularly left open, what system does
TDC have in place to check these are closed, maybe when
checking on the council car parks for example.
9 We the committee have been receiving an increase in phone calls
from the police requesting details of hut owners contact details.
What system does the council have in place so that all owners can
be contacted by the police out of hours etc. in case of damage to
their huts?
10 SAI\D! It was mentioned at the AGM about the amount of sand on
the promenade. We refer to the response at that time which was
that TDC were in conversation with Veolia whose responsibility it
is to remove the sand. All our members are anxious to know the
outcome of these conversations and when some positive actions
may be expected?
EOS The current buildup of sand was reported
as a safety hazard to everyone.
I will be attending the district wide meeting of the Beach Hut
Associations on l2th November 2019, at The Town Hall, and would like
a response please before the meeting. n the meantime please
acknowledge receipt of this letter. We will be posting this letter as
requested by our members on our website, together with your responses
so that our members are kept up to date with progress in the above
matters.
Yours sincerely
Heather Davis
Chair - Clacton and Holland Beach Hut Association
.
SUMMARY OF RESPONSE OF TDC TO CHBHA LETTER OF 25 OCT
Following the letter dated 25 Oct. 2019, representatives of TDC had been in contact with the Chair of CHBHA culminating in a meeting being arranged between the committee of CHBHA and Yana Humphries, manager, Seafronts Dept. of TDC.
The responses are summarised below and are in the same numerical order as those in the original letter.
1. Whilst TDC are strongly of the opinion that people visiting the seafront should take their rubbish home, consideration will be given to increasing the number of bins on the lower promenade. CHBHA suggested that at least one large bin should be permanently sited midway along each beach hut “Section” to be increased as necessary during the summer .
On the question of the provision of a bottle bank, it was considered that this is impractical on the lower prom due to the size and accessibility of vehicles needed to remove them.
CHBHA queried whether the seafront cafes, which do sell drinks in glass bottles, made specific arrangements for their recovery and disposal when emptied. TDC to explore this with the café licence holders.
2. Rats: More bait boxes will be installed from the beginning of the season (April) and TDC invited members to contact them on the number shown on the membership licence if there are any more sightings. It was felt the cliff stabilisation works in areas B and C may well have exacerbated the problems in section A.
3. Taps: This will be addressed when the taps are switched on again in April, in particular that covering section D (tap C10) will receive priority attention. *** Tap C10 now in service from March 2021*****
4. Weeds: due to be addressed by the council’s open spaces department on an ongoing basis.
5. Beach Patrols: TDC advised that as the West beach, from the pier towards Martello would no longer be a recommended bathing beach for at least the next couple of years, greater emphasis will be given to the area East of the pier, including Holland.
6. Cycling: TDC acknowledged the intention that in future it is intended that there should be no cycling on the lower Prom, but stressed the difficulties in enforcing this. As a first step it was agreed that the condition of the “No Cycling” notices written on the prom should be reviewed and upgraded.
7. Handrail in J Section: To be passed to TDC Engineers’ Dept. for action.
8. Security gates: the suggestion of checks when closing car parks was stated to be impractical due to staffing levels. Suggested by TDC that any regular abuse should be reported to them.
9. Contact by police: TDC claim that they have regular contact with the police and are willing to divulge addresses etc. when requested. One member of the team has these details available 24/7 in case of emergencies. It seems this is a matter where the police need to be made aware of this availability.
10. SAND: TDC were pleased to report that the purchase of a “BobCat” machine has been agreed which will be shared between the seafront and open spaces depts., and based at Holland Haven. Staffing and use will be on an in case of need basis. Veiolia has responsibility to ensure that the lower prom is kept clear to a width of 2 metres and it was accepted that this has not happened since last August, and the issue of new “wheelie bins” was blames for this lack of resource.
T