Letters to Formby Times: 15/12/10

Dec 15 2010 by Our Correspondent, Formby Times

Our work for our shoreline

A GREAT deal of work has been done to try to ensure the efficient management of the local shoreline by a number of organisations representing a whole variety of interests.

The North West England and North Wales Shoreline Management Plan 2 final report has recently been published and which covers the whole of the Sefton coastline.

Formby Parish Council took part in the public consultation phase and submitted a response to the draft recommendations.

The consultation which is focused on coastal protection and defences is primarily driven by the local authorities and the Environment Agency and draws up plans to manage the coast for the next 20 years, 20 to 50 years and 50 to 100 years.

The original recommendation for the Formby dunes was that this section of the coast was for ‘no active intervention’.

The definition of that is that no action be taken to maintain existing defences or prevent nature from taking its course where the land is not defended.

The Parish Council took the view that this was unacceptable, given the fact that Sefton Council themselves had taken measures, which we support, to stabilise the dunes, and grants had been received to plan for managing coastal change.

So we are pleased that the final plan announced has been amended to reflect more accurately the measures currently being undertaken, and which we would wish to see continued into the future.

The final recommendation is that the policy for this part of the coast be changed to ‘Managed Realignment’ and which we supported during the consultation.

This policy is for the existing defences to be moved inland in a controlled way managing the sand dunes as they naturally move inland.

Sefton Council and the National Trust in Formby both actively manage the dunes and are working to understand how the dunes adapt.

We would have preferred the full policy to use the words ‘active intervention’ but the final wording has been changed from ‘minimal intervention’ to ‘limited intervention’ by the policy team.

The full policy, which is consistent for all three time periods, reads ‘Managed Realignment will allow the dune system to evolve naturally with limited intervention to manage dunes, and manage adaptation in the erosion risk zone (such as relocating paths and car parks), subject to consents’.

The Parish Council wishes to thank the Coastal Defence Officer for Sefton Council, Graham Lymbery, for his advice and information to support our response and to the local manager of the National Trust Formby, Andrew Brockbank, for his guidance and input at the public consultations and to both parties for continuing to give a high priority to the maintenance of the dune system to continue to protect this sensitive natural environment and the inland assets of the local community.

The Parish Council considers it vital that to continue to monitor the work planned for the coastal area and the flood plain on which we live.

G GASKIN

Deputy Chair, Formby Parish Council

Stars of Bethlehem

I was one of the hundreds of people privileged to see The Village Nativity Play in Formby last Saturday.

Having spent most of my working life in the entertainment business, I was particularly impressed with the way in which the event was produced.

There were around 40 adult actors, plus children from the local schools.

If you add various sheep, goats, donkey etc to this mix, it could easily fall short of perfection, however it did not.

It was wonderful, and ran seamlessly.

The actors were first class, the excellent PA system meant everyone could hear, and the costumes were fantastic.

It really brought the Christmas story to life. I noticed that the producer Bruni Jones was not mentioned in the leaflets being handed out.

I believe she also wrote the dialogue, which was particularly moving.

This woman is Formby's answer to Steven Spielberg, thank you so much for a superb piece of Christmas cheer.

DEBI JONES

Via email

Let’s do our bit

A HUGE thank you to the 70,000 people that took part in this year’s CSV Make a Difference Day.

A record breaking number of people baked pumpkin pies for the elderly, made cupcakes for homeless people, planted bulbs in community parks, knitted hats for pre-mature babies and litter picked in their local high street.

I spent time with volunteers planting trees and shrubs in preparation for winter.

Make volunteering your new year’s resolution! Dig out your garden spades and support CSV Action Earth in spring 2011.

PETE WATERMAN

CSV Action Earth