November Broads Briefing.

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To Broads Briefing subscribers

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Good afternoon everyone,

I hope you are well.

We are still being extremely cautious in the face of high numbers of COVID cases. Where we have to hold face to face committee meetings we are doing so in venues where Members can be well spread out. We are building on our experience and introducing trial arrangements for ‘agile’ working, where roles permit, staff can continue to work partly from home.

Remote meetings have worked far better than we had anticipated and we will ask the Members’ views on whether it could continue for non-decision-making Committees such as Navigation and Audit and Risk. 

Last week was the end of another incredibly busy season. We’ve now closed our yacht stations and visitor centres and said goodbye to our seasonal staff. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who worked out on the Broads and to those working behind the scenes to keep boaters safe, for managing and maintaining the rivers and Broads, and for helping members of the public.

We have been really pleased with the reaction to the safety videos, which have had over 45,000 views. We will review them over the winter and make improvements as necessary.

It’s been extremely busy on the Broads, and the Rangers tell us that with the increased patrolling on the water this year our safety messages have been getting through to visitors. While they issued a similar number of written and verbal warnings for speeding, Rangers have spotted more serious incidents, and we would have struggled to deal with them all without Jon Hopes in his new role leading on prosecutions of these cases. He has a number of cases going to court in the near future.

Last month the Navigation Committee was consulted on the level of navigation charges for next year. Our income this year is above that predicted because the number of hire boats did not decline as much as had been expected and there was an increase in the number of private craft, particularly paddle boards.

However, inflation is having a big impact on the Authority’s costs with the price of raw materials such as steel, wood and aggregate rising fast and the increase in the Employers’ National Insurance contribution rising to fund health and social care costs is significant. The Committee unanimously agreed to recommend an increase of 3.6% and this will be considered at the next Authority meeting on 19 November.

 

Please see this month's Broads Briefing below:

 

 

November 2021

 

Maintenance updates

The Maintenance Team is currently working to refurbish 60m of quay heading at Rockland Staithe 24-hour moorings, using our work boat Shoveler. The capping, waling and mooring posts will all be replaced.

The Team is also replacing 140m of capping (including 90 metres of quay heading back-rail) at Sutton Staithe 24-hour moorings. We anticipate the work at both moorings will be completed by early December. 

The Team recently installed new signs, repaired some holes in the path and installed safety chains and a safety ladder at the new 24-hour mooring at Berney Mill. 

New signs have also been installed at Burgh Castle 24-hour moorings, pending its reopening. 

 

Beautiful sunset at Reedham, by Quay Attendant, David

 

Volunteer Action Days

We recently held three successful volunteer action days, where members of the public could try out conservation work for the day. They helped with fen management at How Hill and at Decoy Carr in Acle.  All sessions were fully booked and we hope to repeat them in the new year.

 

Volunteer vacancies

It's the last few days to get your application in for our Ranger Volunteer roles, based in either the Waveney, Yare or Upper Bure/Ant Ranger teams. The deadline is 14 November. We also have vacancies for Fitter and Education Volunteers. Visit our volunteering vacancies page.

 

Litter picks

It’s been a busy few months for river litter picks. A few weeks ago our Breydon Rangers and the team from Great Yarmouth Yacht Station got their hands dirty at the end of season litter pick. Cleaning up the shores of Breydon Water, they managed to collect eight shopping trollies, 15 traffic cones, a section of Heras fencing, two deck chairs and ten bin bags full of rubbish. 

Thanks to everyone who took part, especially Ranger Martin for organising.

 

Breydon Water litter pickers and their haul

 

And the first Broads litter pick on paddleboards (that we know of) took place on the River Yare/ Wensum in September (see photos below).

30kg of waste was removed from the river between the River Garden pub and Carrow Bridge. The majority of the litter was cans, bottles (glass and plastic) and plastic food packaging. Random items included a Dyson vacuum cleaner and a frying pan. Thanks to the volunteers and to Emma Sturman who organises Norfolk Beach Cleans.

All litter was taken away and disposed of properly.

 

Emma Sturman and volunteers' SUP river litter pick. 

 

Emma Sturman and volunteers' SUP river litter pick. 

 

Magnet fishing pollution

There is an increasing problem of metal waste from magnet fishing being left at our 24-hour moorings. Magnet fishing is where powerful magnets are dragged through the river to retrieve items from the riverbed. Unfortunately, once more valuable items have been taken home, many people dump large pieces of waste metal in our bins or on moorings. The debris is both a safety and environmental hazard.

We ask that people who magnet fish please dispose of the waste at their local recycling centre and be aware of the dangers of the pastime. While it seems harmless, pieces of waste sharp metal are a danger to wildlife, dogs and people.

 

New Berney Mill 2 mooring

A new 24-hr mooring has been added to the Authority’s portfolio, along the stretch of riverbank near the Berney Arms. Along with two areas of mooring already made available by the Broads Authority, this now makes a total of 217m of mooring available for the public to use free of charge. These moorings also provide a refuge in bad weather when it is not possible to cross Breydon Water, or for waiting for the appropriate tide in order to cross.

 

New Berney Mill 24-hour moorings

 

COP26

We are involved at COP26 in Glasgow in a number of ways to promote our work in the Broads on responding to climate change. Myself and Andrea were part of a BBC Look East broadcast on Climate Change, summarised nicely in this online article. COP26: 'Broads of the future would be familiar to Romans' - BBC News

Andrea presented a virtual session at COP26 on the ‘England Peat Action Plan’. You can watch all sessions again at the Peat Pavilion.

Inspired by the COP26 meeting in Glasgow where a joint statement was signed by many protected and conserved areas (including National Parks UK), we have started working with others on how we could encourage residents, visitors and local companies to help combat climate change and biodiversity loss.

 

 

Please look after yourselves and remember you can contact me directly if you have any questions. If you know of anyone else who would like to receive my briefings please pass on this link. 

Best wishes, 

John Packman
Chief Executive
 

 

 

 

 

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Banner artwork courtesy of Dave Thompson

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Broads Authority
Yare House
62-64 Thorpe Road
Norwich 
NR1 1RY
United Kingdom

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