Agenda item

The Superintendent of Burnham Beeches, Stoke Common and City Commons to be heard.

The Superintendent of Burnham Beeches, Stoke and City Commons provided Members with a verbal update. Dog Control Order (DCOs) had been in operation at Burnham Beeches for  5 months and no Fixed Penalty Notices had been issued. At a recent meeting of the Burnham Beeches Consultative Group, the Dogs Trust verbally gave their full support for the DCO’s and stated that it was the best delivery they had seen by a local authority and that Officers had clearly tried extremely hard to accommodate all views

Members noted that further trials were carried out with new, lighter and more secure electric collars on the Exmoor ponies at off-site fields using a buried cable and a new design of collar. Outcomes had been promising and further testing would be undertaken.

Members noted that on Sunday 19th April six fires broke out across the wood pasture areas of Ashtead Common, two of which were attended by the Fire Service. By raising the alarm, the public helped to minimize the impact on the site. The firebreaks also worked well and minimised the damage.  The Fire Service believed that the fires were lit deliberately as an act of arson. Officers were therefore appealing for information. Volunteers had helped greatly with the clear up. None of the living veteran oak trees were affected but some standing dead trees were damaged and stag beetle larvae and a clutch of snake eggs burnt.

The Phase 2 HLF bid for the Kenley Revival Project was now nearing completion.  A final meeting would take place with the HLF at the end of May and the bid submitted in the first week of June.  The HLF would announce the outcome in September

RESOLVED – that the updated be noted.