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MEETINGS DIARY

Valleys festivals draw in the crowds
June 2 2011

The Welsh Waterways Festival funded through the VRP ERDF project and the Valleys Discovery Festival funded through the Interreg IVB WECAN project, both held in May, proved to be resounding successes.

More details and special reports will be available soon.

Operation Ferrous - a success
June 5 2011

Fly-Tipping Action Wales co-operated in a multi-agency operation at Pontypool, Abergavenny and Abertillery as part of World Environment Day. The purpose  was to tackle environmental quality issues including off road motorcycling and fly tipping. FtAW were joined by officers from Gwent Police, Forgotten Landscapes Project, Forestry Commission Wales, Torfaen Local Authority, Monmouthshire Local Authority, Brecon Beacons National Park, and Blaenau Gwent Local Authority. With a significant presence at all three locations, the operation was a resounding success and demonstrated the value of sharing resources and partnership working.

Section 59 Vehicle Seizures  =  2

Section 59 Warnings  = 15

Fixed Penalty Notices  = 6 (Riding on Common Land - £30) 1 (No MOT - £60)

HORT1/Stop Searches  =  26

Verbal Warnings/Educational Leaflets  = 34

Fly Tip Sites Identified  = 33

Norma Green FtAW VRP Project Officer said, “Everyone involved worked superbly together with our individual skills and expertise complementing one another perfectly to ensure the operation was a success. It illustrated that fly tipping will not be tolerated within the VRP and we are working hard with partner organisations to tackle the problem. We obtained a great deal of intelligence and evidence of fly tipping hot spots in the area. We used our GPS units to gather photographic evidence that will allow us to target future resources appropriately.” 

GPS satellite to crack down on fly-tipping in the valleys
June 13 2011

Satellite-based GPS technology is to track fly-tipping across the countryside in south and west Wales. The Fly-tipping Action Wales (FAW) partnership hopes to identify trends and hotspots in nine council areas.

A pilot scheme will share data through information sent from 53 cameras, which aims to speed up the clear-up process.The Welsh Government-sponsored FAW hopes the £17,000 scheme will help cut the £3m annual bill that fly-tipping costs. If successful, the scheme, which is launched on Monday in Merthyr Tydfil, could be rolled out across the rest of Wales.

"More than £25m is being injected into the valleys to help maximise the area's potential and we cannot sit back and let fly-tippers blight our towns, villages and beautiful landscapes," said Gary Evans, project manager for FAW in the Valleys Regional Park.
 

> Fly Tipping Action Wales - website link

> More here on BBC Wales website

Blaen Bran Woodlands improvements completed
June 13 2011

Making the most of the beautiful Blaen Bran woodland has never been easier.

Torfaen County Borough Council’s Neighbourhood Services have been working closely with the local Blaen Bran Community Woodland group to provide a new formal entrance and small parking area for visitors to the area.

The woodland is already popular with local people for recreation and relaxation, and this work makes it easier for visitors to access the outdoors safely, whether on foot, by car or on horseback.

Improvements have also been made to the access paths and additional boundary fencing put in will help to prevent motorbikes accessing the woodland.

New waymarkers now create links to the proposed Pilgrim’s route and Greenmeadow Farm so visitors can easily learn more about the heritage of this area.

The project has attracted £50,856 from the Valleys Regional Park Programme via the Welsh Government and European Regional Development Fund with match funding from Cwmbran Operational Group and Countryside Council for Wales.

Councillor Cunningham executive member for Neighbourhood Services said ‘Blaen Bran is a wonderful area and an important gateway to the upland landscape of Cwmbran.

I’m very pleased that this project, which has been developed in close consultation with the support of the local community, has been able to provide facilities to allow visitors to access the countryside’

For further information on the Blaen Bran Community Woodland group please visit www.blaenbran.org.uk