marshman

I am not taking sides at all, but running, or having run committees for many years, I have some sympathy - they are difficult to run and manage and you can have members who seem to think they have their own agendas to pursue. Inevitably as a result unless they are "managed" you can get to a situation where, decisions are difficult to make!!

On a slightly different topic, can anyone point me to anything suggesting what the Acle Bridge project is actually going to cost and from where it will be funded? On this topic, presumably we will now see others resigning in his support? I will leave further comment until that happens methinks - does anyone know what issue precipitated his resignation?

Not sure the surge got up that far? Upper limit somewhere in the Acle Bridge to Thurne mouth section but a fisherman may confirm?

The old A47 is being kept - as a local access road. Long overdue given the holdups and very serious accidents that do occur on this stretch.

Plenty of grebe up north - probably one of the more plentiful I must admit. There are also quite a few duck,certainly where there are boats, gobbling up bread! Very very glad to hear about the mink - there is some little, unverified, evidence that the mink and otter do not get on too well!

MM - I think you guilty of not reading the article correctly or perhaps no not wishing to understand - with respect! Whilst much of Broadland farming is indeed cattle based and you must not discount the impact of slurry, have you really forgotten that the bulk of water in the Broadland system, does not start in Broadland itself but in the enormous catchment systems of the rivers concerned - the Wensum rises well to the west of Dereham, the Waveney near Redgrave to the west of Diss and the Bure up around Aylsham? Cattle country? I think not!! Over the last few years the EA and the BA have been looking at the impact of each of the basins, as what happens a long long way from Broadland, has and indeed still affects the waters this end. You are of course entitled to your view that the "evidence" of this report is selective - but surely it should carry more weight than the unscientific "evidence" of the uncorroborated sightings of a few, amateur, "naturalists". Surely it is just as important to take into account the view, upheld by the various serious anglers, that the fish stocks in Broadland continue to improve, despite all the scientific evidence to suggest the otters still eat, mostly fish! It is also foolish to ignore the impact of mink, although in that respect, I am pleased to say they do still struggle to get a foothold up here on the Northern Broads - I am not sure about Southern Rivers where in the past they have been much more prolific. I wonder whether PW was any comment on this - seen lots of ladies recently down there in fur coats JM?

You will also need a set of recent ear defenders (the small aircooled Honda 2hp makes a din) and holding the handle will send shivers up your arm - don't forget to check for RSI after a bit. Although it does not carry a wallet warning, it should carry a health one!!! Why does everyone have fond memories of Seagulls? I used to keep boats on swinging moorings and for what it is worth, when you got back having left the dinghy, it always failed to start when it was cold and wet - just when you wanted it to start!! 4 strokes when they came in were heavier I admit, but they never let me down!!!

Bu**er eating Norfolk turkeys, at Christmas - eat geese!! Agree with that wholeheartedly - except I don't like goose!!

Bird populations fluctuate but there is plenty of evidence that climate change is having a major impact - not necessarily killing them but moving the migratory patterns, and allowing other birds that used to live further south to come up here and benefit from the warmer weather. Equally birds that were common here are moving north. I am not going to prolong this discussion further because I am not an expert , and certainly many others posting are not either but we have to accept that these trends are happening. The other day at Manningtree, even from the train, it was clearly evident the Little Egrets are becoming commonplace - this applies to Broadland too. Avocets as well! Now my bird reference book published in 2004, says both are rare and/or scarce with less than 100 pairs in the whole of the UK! Not true any more they aren't!!! So lets accept that the status quo as it once was, may no longer be the case, but continues to change- but to blame it on the otter is just not proven!!!!!

So on the evidence of Vaughan, you want to cull otters? Well thats a pretty scientific study!!! Just perhaps,there are other reasons, like climate change? Plenty of coot around in the winter - there were 2 flocks of at least 500+ this winter on Hickling! And I think that in the early part of this century, when the coot shoots occurred every winter, I guess otters were around also? There are plenty of moorhen off the main river in the ponds and dykes, but I do agree they have gone off the main river. I think Vaughan you are going to have to produce more than that to convince me it is the fault of otters!!!

I don't think Brooms HAVE lost the plot at all - I think it is all very deliberate! I think it is quite obvious what they want to achieve and every little, or big event like this just persuades me that that it was NEVER their intention to do anything to the yard as such but gradually , but gradually, run it down and then proclaim it is no longer viable at which stage their true intentions will be announced!! Since it was bought by the vulture capitalists, have they done anything to realistically improve the yard, either for their existing customers, or for the yards ongoing future? And no I do not include in that the building of a hire fleet - I would have preferred to see them continuing to build the type of offering they had before and indeed expanding which was in their early stated intention! No wonder people were extremely cynical of the original move and slowly slowly they will get to the obvious!!!

Well that says it all then - lets keep the closed season!!!!!

Exactly !!

Good to see that the owners at Brooms continue to act in a manner you would expect them to!! I wonder how often any other Broadland yard would waste everyones time by asking workers to reapply for their jobs?? And there was me thinking that this only applied to those industries/jobs who had too many seat polishers with nothing else better to do than waste money!! I will not name the obvious here but strangely most are public sector!! Or am I just too old???

I agree too, but surely it is right, irrespective of what I really think incidentally, that members of the Forum are aware that the whole of Broadland, or at least this Forum, do NOT carry the view that is generally exhibited here? And that view is by no means in the majority either, it just seems like it from some of the posters on this Forum!

Well as long as we all continue to line up on the right sides! As you know, there are two sides to every story - its important they are both seen!!

Why proportion those costs? Just so we can have another pop at the BA!!!

You are correct in that a yard "has" to be retained but there is nothing to say how big it should be!! Brooms might be building a few hire boats but it has shrunk massively since they were bought out by "vulture capitalists"! They of course had grandiose schemes of building a new factory up by the Brundall roundabout, but strangely this plan has come to nought only for it to be replaced by a planned housing estate - surprise surprise!! You can almost guarantee that at some stage or other they will try to build on some or all the boatyard - venture capitalists exist to make money and not run a hire fleet!! Ask Vaughan how much the average annual return you can make out of that!! How many boatbuilders are left compared with what was around when they took the business over?

Cannot remember the cut off date but probably the end of March. You can always tell around here as there is a flurry of activity to beat the deadline and by and large, the farmers are pretty good and adhere to it! P.S. its the Ist March!!

Don't tell everyone about the B1145!!! Might be more cars on it if you do! With the NDR open, one of Norfolks best kept secrets!!

I really hope that you report the cutting of hedges at the wrong time of year - send it to the Council with photographic evidence including the date. Councils can not break the law anymore than you or I can.

Of course! Get involved with either the Nav Comm or take part in the Broads Engage!! One key factor IMHO is that if you are known to the individual to whom you may address an enquiry, you are much more likely to get a response as opposed to irritating them by putting in an unnecessary FOI request - which some are prone to do!!

Can anyone then, point me to the planning application? I personally am not aware of one - yet!!!

Yep - thats true. Not kept under wraps - just assumed everyone knew as the news has been out and around for sometime. Len has another project in mind - he is not retiring!!!

Don't think to be fair, Vaughan, that it is the BA that is making all the fuss!!! It seems to be primarily the local residents who somehow think that any development would spoil the area!! Or is it the residents you are referring too? Quite what is it about that wonderful place called GY and the local residents, that they think it cannot be improved upon!!! If I was the applicant I would walk away and leave them to their fine borough!!