Minutes of Wilstead P3 Meeting

held on 14th September 2019

in Wilstead Village Hall


Present.R Terry, D Moffatt, D Moses, J Moses, G Odell,  J Jacobs, J Tanswell, P Tanswell, V Scargill, A Fosbrook, D Fosbrook, N Jacobs

Apologies. 5 apologies


Footpath Reports

FP1 / Eascotts FP10 (DMos) (6/9/19). One area behind houses overgrown**. Path to Parish boundary overgrown**. Handrail on small bridge not attached at one end**. Need to clear around wmp at acf**. Sleeper bridge at ace overgrown**. Rest of path to A600 OK. Access onto A600 dangerous and needs widening to give greater visibility. Finger post on A600 hidden in hedge.

Try and use Report It to get Rights of Way to do work on A600 as there is no verge or footway.  Action NJ

FP3. (A&DF) No report. Footpath across A6 temporarily closed due to A6 roadworks.

FP4 (NJ) (10/9/19). Yew tree low over path near Church Road**. Notify PCC. Action DMof

Odd bramble over path to Vicarage Lane and enclosed path beyond plus nettles**. Dog bin in Vicarage Lane now upright. Longmeadow Drive ok. Clear steps up to and down from bund**. Wmp at top of steps wobbly and split (need to keep an eye of this). Path shut off part way down bund near A6 because of roadworks. Wmp and finger post removed as part of roadworks. Need to ensure they are replaced. A6 verge cleared of trees and shrubs near line of path. Visibility of line of path greatly improved

Rotten sleeper bridge on Parish boundary reported to RoW who are looking into it.

FP5A/B (LR-IL) & FP18. (JS) (11/919). FP5. Small split in finger post cap on Luton Rd. Hedge here could do with trim**. Path to Ivy Lane good. Put yellow top on wmp near culvert**. Wmp at acs near Carriage Drive loose**.  

FP18. Path good.

FP5C/D (IL-EL) (CC) (1/9/19). Small sleeper bridge replaced with culvert. Wobbly wmp moved to other end of culvert. Could add new wmp at southern end of culvert**. New culvert excellent. Way mark post at aci very loose**. Kissing gates in Stables have plastic strips added to prevent over opening. Gates moved probably due to horses leaning on them. Path separated from rest of paddock in Stables by electric fence.

FP6 (RT). (8/9/19), SA (10/9/19). Path ok. Remove yellow topped post attached to kissing gate with barbed wire on Cotton End Rd**.

FP7 (FM). () Path to woods ok. No problems with new gate added by landowner at aat after quad bikes went over his fields. No crossfield path but able to walk around field. (See Footpath 7 Diversion later). Crossfield path up hill good. Electric fence back on top of hill with no protection for walkers on stepover. Let RoW know. Action NJ

Horses in field ok.

FP8 (J&PT).(12/9/19) Hedge alongside path from Cotton End Rd needs to be cut back Path parallel to Cotton End Rd is uneven and needs a mow**. Tree leaning across sleeper bridge **.

FP 9/10. (CC/SA) (1/9/19) FP9. Path ok. Try and improve visibility of wmp at junc with FP10**. Overhanging tree branch to be removed**. Field recently harrowed and path narrow in places.

FP10. Path again harrowed and very little path left. See where crop is planted to**.

BW11/15. (MH) (29/7/19). Path ok.

BW11. Junctions with BW15 and BW14 edges overgrown**. Path passable.

FP12. (JM,) (12/9/19) Path good / ok. Way mark post wobbly at aag but not rotten**. Crossfield path good. Some overgrowth towards bridge**. Bridge handrail wobbly**.

Nettles over Elstow FP7 near bridge. Tell RoW. Action NJ

Cross field path to Medbury Farm faintly marked and not very visible..

FP13 (NT) (1/9/19)  Path ok. Replace faded yellow plate on wmp at junc with FP12**.

BW14. (VS) (). Overgrown down middle of track. Might be tricky for cycles.

BW16. (GO) (22/8/19). At Northwood Farm hedge pruned around finger post. Now ok. Replace / remove faded discs on wall**. Pruned around way mark post at top of hill, now ok. Bridle gates damaged / don't shut but still easy to go down track. Post with way mark disc on gound at abh. Replace way mark discs at abg**. Rest of path good.

FP17 (DMof) (). Path good. Way mark discs on wall faded (see BW16) .


** Jobs that the Group could tackle.



New paths to be allocated to group members and forms and maps to be sent. Action NJ.


Please report at next meeting on 16th November or send in reports beforehand if can't make meeting.


If possible please use form and write on form date when path surveyed or include this in any verbal report.


Reminder. Please can paths be walked in both directions when checking or if not please walk paths in different directions each check.


Footpath 5.

The group removed the old small sleeper bridge and replaced it with a culvert. Took a couple of half days.


Footpath 8.

Efforts continue to get funds to create a corridor along edge of first paddock (from CER) to avoid interfacing with the horses. We could then remove the last stile in the parish.


Footpath 7 Diversion.

The farmer has put in bridges from the edge of the field into Wilstead Woods. Will request crossfield path is diverted round edge of field. Little difference in distance and farmer has verbally said he would keep field edge path clear. Still to be raised with RoW.  Action NJ


Walks

The July circular walk from Silsoe to Higham Gobian and back was rained off but was successfully completed in August on a nice sunny evening. The September walk has been postponed to early October and will hopefully be around Clapham.



AOB.

No AOB


NJ  29/9/19