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To the canoes! …was the rally cry come Saturday morning as @AnnaJCowen and I decided to sea test the kayaks that make us feel like we are proper sailing types.

Ahem.

Having bought a couple of basic entry level models from a rather charming sailing shop just outside of Clactonia, a whole month has passed where they have been sitting in the dry dock that doubles up as a back garden.

Whoops.

Time and tide, ‘n all that, and bugger me - we’ve not exactly been blessed of late with a tidal pattern that can be easily accommodated into a weekday and weekend working pattern.

A detailed study of the tidal charts and a consultation of the shipping forecast the night before (I lie - high tide for Brightlingsea - there’s an app for that…) and we were scheduled to be sea bound shortly after 1pm on Saturday.

But first how to get the beasts down to the Quay? This has been occupying my mind a lot of late. It’s not quite on par with a Middle East peace proposal, but warfare of sorts broke out around the regions of Park Road on Saturday.

Apologies to m’neighbours - the girl and I got in a strop over straps. The Rolls Royce of kayak trolleys had been bought, but the small print overlooked attaching the kayaks to the rock ‘n roll wheels.

No worries. A trip to B & Q and some industrial strength ratchet ties were ours for the taking. But not for the tying. We bodged a solution of sorts, and then fell flat on our feet before we even hit the Colne Social Club.

Back to basics it was, and we resorted to the good old-fashioned backbreaking method of carrying the canoes by the handles down to the Sailing Club. The High Street was well off our radar - no one wants to see a feuding couple encased in tight black rubber with additional S & M cable straps wandering past the Deli on a Saturday lunchtime.

Anglesea Road was a pain, but the pleasure was all to come once we hit the water. Wivenhoe is surprisingly short on slipways - there’s either the old Sailing Club entry point by the Ferry launch, or out towards the barrier and the current Sailing Club location.

It was to our very good fortune that just as the champagne bottles were smashed against the hull (not as a symbolic gesture, but as something of a tonsil tickler before hitting the water) we encountered another canoeing couple.

Cripes.

Tips were exchanged, black bondage was mutually admired.

And then we were water bound.

Blimey.

I potted about in canoes as a youth, thinking that a bright red phallic fibreglass body would aid my sexual chances. I know how to control my wrist action, especially so when sitting in an unnatural position.

It was to my great joy then to relive this moment of frisson from my youth, making those first few strokes into the muddy water of the Colne and drifting dangerously close to the flood barrier.

I looked back at the girl and found that she hadn’t even managed to wriggle free of the slipway. I’ve always doubted her technique, to be honest.

It may be a beast to carry down to the Quay, but the kayak glides like an absolute beauty once you are in the water. Observing Wivenhoe from a low water level provides a stunning new perspective.

You can of course get over-romanticised about a bloody canoe, but there was a great sense of history approaching the town from the water, something that generations of folk in Wivenhoe have been accustomed to.

Soon we were paddling past the Rose and Crown, onwards along the side of West Quay and then a sharp left up the Roman River. Fingringhoe had to be done, and preferably so before the already outgoing tide stranded us.

Five minutes up the twist and curves of the Roman River, and the North Essex aquatic nature totally immerses you. Thankfully no baptisms took place along the muddy waters of the North Essex estuary on Saturday afternoon.

Various birdlife accept you as part of their environment, flying incredibly close along the water and offering up spectacular viewing points. The Pisces within was a one happy man in a canoe. Meanwhile the Libra that is @AnnaJCowen was struggling to balance her boat, let alone her astrological scales.

We actually got lost up the Roman River - how is that possible? I’m not entirely sure, but we also managed to get lost along the Wivenhoe Trail the first time that we cycled it. The welcoming tower of St Mary’s was our guiding principle back to base.

A brief paddle upstream towards Rowhedge, and then a drift along with the outgoing tide back to the Sailing Club. Saturday afternoon tea was calling, as well as a hot shower. The Colne really is very mucky little pup.

And so a success of sorts. The struggle with the canoes back to base ‘aint great. We’re exploring other options (*cough* Sailing Club membership…)

But yeah - footloose and fancy free to explore the Colne, the Creek and all the many tributaries in-between. Any excuse to become encased in thick, black rubber.

The summer season is upon is - Rose & Crown booze, Regattas (Rowhedge this weekend) and a rumour I hear of Jazz on the Quay on 26th June. Plus there’s also the wonderful Water Marks, the annual Wivenhoe Summer Exhibition at The Nottage.

Local artists Pru Green, Alison Stockmarr and Barbara Peirson are exhibiting in the splendour of the old building, each Sunday from 2 - 5pm, all the way through until 11th September.

It’s a three pronged artistic assault covering ceramics, salvaging & stitching and more traditional oil based landscape paintings. Individually the artwork is excellence - collectively it adds a strong Wivenhoe theme across the different mediums.

What I really liked about Water Marks is that the Nottage has been laid out not with each artist in isolation in each corner, but the hat trick of talent is exhibited together.

More than the sum of the parts etc, with each item of art enhancing the others around them. If this was the Tate Modern then the awful ‘multi-media installation’ artistic twaddle might be banded about.

Thankfully this is Wivenhoe; Water Marks is a collection of local talent working together.

Plus you get to look around the Nottage, always something of a local treat. The smell of history literally hangs off those walls - or maybe that was just the high tide drifting in the aroma of the Pooh Factory upstream from the Hythe?

Either way, I’m always a sucker for all things maritime - much like Water Marks itself. This is an exhibition that could only come out of Wivenhoe. You’ll recognise local landmarks within the work, and see them through a different perspective.

A return visit is likely - probably with booze, hopefully with wallet.

To the Town Council Office on Monday evening for the first formal meeting of the new Wivenhoe Town Council administration. With four new Councillors sitting around the top table, the pub pecking order etiquette was observed for the seating arrangements:

“Oooh - you can’t sit there, m’ lovely. That’s old Alfie’s seat.”

But old Alfie [MADE UP NAME] is no longer with us, so dip yer bread, young blood.

I strategically took up my place sitting right by the door. You never know when you might want to make an early exist to watch #nffc’s season implode yet again.

Whoops.

Elsewhere around the chamber of fun and it was pleasing to see that all seats in the public gallery were taken. I say ‘public gallery,’ but I of course means the liberal (steady) scattering of chairs around the perimeter of the room.

Was an anarchic late spring Wivenhoe revolution uprising in the air? Um, nope - just the rightly proud family and friends coming along to support the new administration.

D-mob happy and ready to take a well-deserved back seat, Mr Mayor apologised for the non-appearance of the Lady Mayor (impending music duties - that’s fine, Madam) and then listened to a glowing eulogy from Councillor Needham, praising the civic year just passed:

“We made a wonderful decision twelve months ago to elect Councillor Sinclair as our Town Mayor.”

A bottle of something slightly stronger than the Adam’s Ale on the top table was handed over, which will hopefully be sufficient to see Councillor Sinclair through those long Wivenhoe winter nights. A bouquet then followed for the music making Lady Mayor.

It’s a rank old world, this business of local politics - now take up yer seat, kind Sir, back at the opposite end of the table.

In a game of grandee musical chairs, Councillor Needham then took up his place at the top of the table, and the formal handing over of the chains and the Mr Mayor title took place. I have a feeling that the “We made a wonderful decision…” speech will deservedly played out again this time next year.

Continuing the procession of politico titles, behind every great man there has to be a great woman. The new Mr Mayor has two - blimey.

With the (new) Lady Mayor also looking resplendent in the gallery, it was soon time to endorse Councillor Kraft as the new Deputy Mayor for the duration of the political calendar.

A local Wivenhoe league system of sorts is in place, to decide who gets to rise (and fall) with the civic chain. It is almost on par with the election of a new Pope, with the high and mighty having to come to an agreement to endorse a candidate.

It wasn’t quite smoke signals wafting down the High Street and high jinks and rejoicing all the way down to the Rose and Crown, but a three endorsements, one against and “a number of abstentions…” completed the process.

Civic duties complete, back to Civvy Street and the complexes of Town Council business. It is around this point in the evening when a young (ish) blogger usually loses the plot and fails to follow the thread.

I tried to keep up with the constitutional discussion about the Community Working Party, but to be honest, my mind (and iPhone) was elsewhere. Two quick first half goals for Swansea and I trust none of the esteemed Councillors noticed the whispered profanities that almost delayed the important business of the Community Working Party.

As I understand (actually, I don’t) and the issue here was one of adopting a new way of working with committees, chairs and communication. It wasn’t quite as severe as Forest going in 2-0 down at half time (seriously,) but the Town Clerk did interject with:

“What is being proposed is not a valid procedure and I would like this minuted please.”

Blimey.

For the record I also DIDN’T swear in the Council chamber when the second Swansea goal went in, but I wouldn’t mind if that was minuted.

With the WTC constitution changing in June (I think) Councillor Kraft raised concern that three committees are currently without Chairs, following the introduction of a new administration.

Straight off the subs bench and the abundance of new local political talent within Wivenhoe soon served as a stopgap. I don’t suppose any of the four new Bright Young Things of WTC could play up front for Forest whilst they are at it?

As with all new organisations, roles and responsibilities need to be carefully laid out. What followed was a shuffling of the WTC pack, and the allocation of representation on various local and civic organisations. Ah - but who is the joker in the pack, Comrades?

The Colchester Association of Local Councillors role went to Councillor Lodge; Civic Protection was taken by Councillor Needham. Our Public Transport Representative remains the good Peter Kay, Community Safety is covered once again by Councillor Lodge and Councillor Needham will continue his good relations with WivSoc.

Wearing his nautical hat and Councillor Sinclair will represent WTC on the Colne Estuary Partnership. The Wivenhoe Housing Trust will have the fine company of Councillor Needham, the District Board and Facilities Trust role fell to Councillor Lodge, Councillor Kraft sticks with NAP and Wivenhoe in Bloom will have the green-fingered representation from Councillor Richards.

This was very much a putting your house in order meeting for the new administration. Subscriptions were up for renewal next. I thought that the ever keen and eager WivSoc had the tin rattling down to a fine art, what with a door knock and a kindly “pay up, pal” request earlier in the month.

WTC agreed to renew the following subscriptions:

The Essex Association of Local Councillors - £824 per annum - ouch! In return, Mr Mayor stated that WTC gains many official documentation templates that are most useful.

One would hope so, at just under a grand.

Essex Fields and Trusts - £35 pa

The Institute of Crematorium Management - £90 pa (deadly silence…)

The Society of Local Council Clerks - £120 pa

Essex Regional Employers - £130 pa

Direct Information Service (nope, me neither…) £90 pa

Community Management Association - £116 pa. This is the body that grants a licence to enable the running of the Community Mini Bus.

The Council for the Protection of Rural Essex - £29 pa (I wonder which side they bat for as the Environment Agency continues to vandalise our locality?)

The Council for National Allotments - £25 pa and

The Friends of Historic Essex - £10 pa.

Not a great deal of overall expenditure, but there are a lot of local bodies that are making money out of local government. Meanwhile, the Association of Nerdy North Essex Semi-Politico Local Bloggers is about to go back in the red, Comrades - and I’m not talking metaphorical, either.

The minutes for the Annual Town Meeting were then adopted. A lengthy discussion followed about Section 106 money, what it means and why it is important. My understanding is that it is essentially the classic local authority you scratch my back argument: yep, you can build yer mega superstore, but give our community a brown envelope stuffed full of grubby fivers first.

For administrative, political and possibly hyperlocal territorial reasons, the dosh for Wivenhoe is split between the Quay and the Cross. The former obviously benefited greatly with the Cook’s redevelopment 106 money; the latter looks like coming out rather nicely after the University has finished making a mess of Wivenhoe Park with the Knowledge Gateway nice little earner. WTC is in favour of being able to distribute this money WHEREVER it sees fit in the town.

Reports from local political representatives followed. Councillor Julie Young, the Colchester Representative on Essex County Council spoke first.

“I am now no longer the only Labour member at ECC - we have formed a group with the election of another Labour member. I have taken up the position of the Leader of the Labour group.”

Cripes, Comrade: We are all equal, but some are more equal than others, etc.

The hard-working Councillor Young updated with plans for a public footpath leading from Broadfields towards the Football Club:

“This is now the third highest Highways priory in all of Essex. It will be a slow process, but discussions are already in place with the landowner. I am happy to report that relations between the Trust and the Football Club are now much better. The Football Club is welcoming a group of disabled young adults into the clubhouse to use the space as a social area.

Other items updated by Councillor Young included the building of a shelter for students waiting for the Colne bus, congratulating the 20 students volunteers from the University who took part in a recent litter pick, and the promise to look at the faded zebra crossing at The Cross - a point that was raised by a resident at the Annual Town Meeting.

Councillor Young then risked the wrath of the entire Tendring Peninsula by bringing up the Clingoe Hill and the disruption that the Knowledge Gateway is about to bring:

“We are still unsure when the roadworks will begin. It is hoped that these will be completed by the start of the new academic year, which indicates that they should be imminent.”

The newly re-elected Councillor Steve Ford, one of Wivenhoe Quay’s representative at Colchester Borough Council, then addressed the chamber:

“I personally take the Mayor Making process very seriously. Wivenhoe is very lucky in consistently having excellent candidates to fill this role.”

With the past month (and more) spent on the stump, Councillor Ford had little political content to add, although he did remark:

“I thought that my election campaign was going to be dramatic, but it wasn’t so, as it turned out…”

Ouch.

The #workingforwivenhoe fine fella did update on the planning update for nine flats along Rectory Road:

“I have concerns over parking and draining, and have raised these with the Council. The Planning officers agree, and this application will now be heard in front of the Committee.

Valley Road to Bobbit’s Way continues to suffer from potholes and more serious infrastructure damage. I will keep on reminding Highways of this.”

A quick race through the various WTC committee reports, although being a new administration, there was little to report back on. A new picnic bench has been installed in the wood, to replace the one that was sadly vandalised.

Likewise a bench has now been placed on the sea wall, looking out to Rowhedge (although why anyone would want to sit down and actually look out towards Rowhedge is beyond me.)

Councillor Sinclair then reminded WTC about the official confirmation received regarding the continued vandalism of our unique local environment by the Environment Agency:

“We have heard that this work will now be ongoing, with the diggers arriving sometime over the next two weeks. I am sure that our phones will be ringing and WTC will have plenty of complaints from residents.

The work by the EA is an approved policy - all we can do as a council is to refer any complaints to the official literature that we have received.”

Mr Mayor added:

“The EA knows what it is doing.”

Here’s hoping…

A quick refresh of the iPhone, and yep - Forest were still trailing 2-0. Time for a pick me up - time to conclude the first meeting of the new administration with news of what Mr Mayor has planned during his Wivenhoe civic year:

“A tea party (July) Wivenhoe’s Got Talent (cripes - February) and a Tramp’s Supper (come as you are - October.)”

Civic representation is promised at all three events. The tea party sounds charming; Wivenhoe’s Got Talent equally excites and worries me. The Tramp’s Supper is tailor made for many folk around these parts.

Perfect.

An opening up of the inbox and blimey - it’s only an email from the Environment Agency informing me of yet further acts of vandalism to the natural habitat around Wivenhoe that is about to be carried out:

“Following on from our sea defence woody growth clearance in 2010, we will be doing further work to limit its re-growth. This is in addition to our routine grass cutting on all embankments.”

You break our legs and we say thank you when you offer us crutches. Um, cheers, fellas.

“Where is this work happening?

Sections of defence where patches of bare earth exist between woody stumps.”

The bare earth exists ‘cos the buggers chopped it all down back at the start of the year.

“When is this work starting?

We plan to cut up to three times this year in areas of re-sprouting woody vegetation. These will be in May, July and September / October.”

Ah, love the ambiguity in trying to catch us out. Expect bulldozers down by the Sailing Club overnight.

“What will we be doing?

We will use various machinery including tractor mounted and hand operated cutting equipment to remove woody re-growth to encourage the development of a good turf cover.”

Wivenhoe is many things to many people. The Garden of England it ‘aint. The natural and rough beauty of the estuary is far preferable to some prim and proper-bordered garden lawn. If you want an English Rose then you ‘aint gonna find it out along the walk to Alresford Creek.

“Why are we doing this work?”

Ah - now there’s a loaded local question…

“The woody vegetation will be cut to encourage a good turf to re-establish. We do not wish to sow grass-seed because the Essex coast is home to a unique variety of plants. We will encourage these plants to re-colonise using seeds already in the soil”.

Um, why not just let them grow?

“Raised flood embankments are key to protecting people and property from flooding. Each flood defence is routinely inspected and heavy vegetation prevents detailed inspection. Earth slips, settlement, damage by burrowing animals such as rabbits, foxes and badgers all create weakened defences.”

I’m still searching for those mythical Wivenhoe rabbits, me.

“Heavy woody growth on an embankment also causes drying-out and shrinkage cracks in its structural core: under high water loading such a defence is significantly weakened. Rapid detection and appropriate monitoring or repair work is key to sustaining fit-for-purpose flood defences.”

So is a £20m Flood Barrier.

“How can you get involved or get in touch?”

Preferably by laying down in front of a digger when it comes to disrupt and damage our community sometime later this month.

“This information is to let you know about our vital work in your community. We are happy to come along to community groups and residents associations to explain more about our activities. Please contact us if you would like to discuss this in more detail. We will keep you up-to-date with any further developments.”

Contact

Operations Delivery Manager,
Environment Agency, Rivers House,
Brook End Road, Chelmsford
CM2 6NZ

01473 706100

The maps very kindly supplied by the Environment Agency have been published below. I’m not sure if they were to sent to me as a genuine attempt to improve communication, or as some insider leak to allow Wivenhoe locals to prepare for the battleground ahead.

Blimey.

If you buy into the argument that the vandalism around Wivenhoe is being carried out as an act of flood protection - which I don’t - then you still need to ask the question as to why the chuffers all that is green and good is being bulldozed upstream past the Flood Barrier.

Ferry Marsh is once again up for the chop. If the Trojan Horse argument of getting rid of those pesky rabbits to stop flooding downstream is to be believed, then the Flood Barrier should do the business upstream.

As many locals have already observed, this is very much a macro Environment Agency one size fits all policy of destruction. It may be worthwhile on some coastal region elsewhere, but here in the North Essex estuary wilds and there seems no logical explanation in implementing it.

Has anyone from the Environment Agency actually inspected our very micro environmental conditions? What in all honesty is to be achieved by chopping away at the habitat that exists in the planned flood marsh areas past the Sailing Club?

I very much appreciate the transparency of the Environment Agency is passing this information on to me, but is still remains a complete load of unscientific and irrational twaddle that has absolutely no relevance to Wivenhoe.

It was only a couple of weeks ago that I posted some pictures of the shrubs once again starting to take root along the walk out towards Alresford Creek. The cynic in me suggests that some policy twonk at the Environment Agency saw these as an opportunity to send in the boys with their big diggers once again.

No posters put outside on public footpaths this time - not yet, anyway. Just a private email that almost got buried away in the spam folder. Has anyone else received a copy of this? WTC? The Sailing Club? Residents along the Quay?

The bleak Wivenhoe winter came to an abrupt end when the first signs of spring were savagely uprooted by the Environment Agency. After a glorious Mediterranean (seriously) North Essex Easter, hopes were high of the natural beauty of our habitat returning.

How painful is a summer spent looking at what essentially is a gravel track going to be, once the Environment Agency gets to do the dirty once again? What price to pay for this? A figure of £750,000 for Wivenhoe alone was mentioned at a recent WTC meeting.

The spectacular natural beauty of what lies down by the Quay and beyond is probably the principle reason why many of us choose to live here. Take this away, and you may as well live in Rowhedge - and no one really wants to do that.

The bullyboys and their diggers took us by surprise at the start of the year. Who will be prepared to stand up for our community this summer? Wivenhoe Town Council? Our Borough Councillors? Our esteemed MP?

Sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands, Comrades.

Note: the red on the maps published below indicates the intended targets for destruction by the Environment Agency.

Alresford Creek North Bank

Alresford Creek South Bank

Wivenhoe Marsh Farm

Colne Barrier South

East Donyland

Wivenhoe Ferry Marsh

With the Wivenhoe, Fingringhoe and Rowhedge Ferry now sailing for the summer season, I thought that it was about time that @AnnaJCowen and I explored the Dark Side across the banks of the Colne.

An aborted mountain bike scramble across the Rowhedge Lagoons during those dark, depressing estuary winter days didn’t exactly endear us to that other lot across the Colne. My mountain bike met its match; I met a great big stinking fresh cowpat, which was amazingly the only organic substance that hadn’t frozen solid.

There is something much more civilised though to messing about on the water. For a town that has a history and heritage based around boats, sailing along the estuary provided a lost link to the old and new.

Ever respectful of the river tide, there is roughly a three and a half hour window of opportunity to flirt between Fingringhoe and Rowhedge. With friends staying for the weekend, we chose the Rowhedge route for our first sail. I don’t think I could have kept a straight face explaining that we were off to Fingringhoe.

Running approximately every half hour, it is this relaxed way of working that is the appeal of the Wivenhoe Ferry. Dashing to make the 9:23 out of Wivenhoe Station once a week does my head in. Travel is all about the enjoyment of the journey, and not about a means to an end in reaching your destination.

And so with a half of lager shandy in my hand from the Rose and Crown, we waited by the Ferry boathouse. Our fellow passengers were a young family and a charming dog. Transporting animals and bicycles is at the discretion of the Skipper. You’ll probably be fine with a hound, but I wouldn’t push your luck with a horse.

With the Ferry Man paid (and a bloody ear worm of Chris De Burgh) a single fare of £1.50 was a bargain price for exploring somewhere so close, yet so far away. I made sure that a return leg was possible - spending the evening stranded in Rowhedge wasn’t on the sea faring radar.

We passed a couple of eager young canoeists during our crossing, as well as a tired and emotional crew on a craft that was doing its best Oxford University Boat Race sinking impression. The good Captain was swigging from a bottle of red, and toking on a fag end. If yer gonna go down, best do it in style, fella.

And then just under ten minutes later, we landed.

What now? Bugger off back to Wivenhoe?

Um… Nope. A swift pint in the The Anchor soon became something of an early evening session. This is truly a delightful local pub - a charming landlord, a well-kept beer cellar and the most pleasing of toilets this side of, oh, Fingringhoe up the road.

Fast becoming tired and emotional ourselves, you can see how the booze has the effect of some rather boastful boyhood behaviour from some folk around these parts. Bugger that - a quick consultation with the brilliant Ferry Timetable programme, and our return sail was soon waiting.

Chin chin.

The programme to accompany the 2011 season of sailing has been lovingly put together by the small group of volunteers that so kindly keep the service running. It is worthy of a blog post alone, such is the quality of the beautiful content and ideas based around sailing along the banks of the Colne.

Poems about the river and woods, a short story from David Williams and the usual exceptionally high stand of local bird illustrations from Richard Allen, Wivenhoe’s bird watch supreme. Historical maps sit beautifully with the as ever striking linocuts from James Dodds.

The Chairman’s Note looks ahead to the 2012 season - the 20th anniversary of the restoration of the Wivenhoe Ferry. Funding remains an issue as ever. Special thanks is given to Mr Mayor for kindly offering his support through the Mayor’s Charity Fund, as well as generous support front the Wivenhoe Regatta Committee and RBS. Local businesses advertise in the programme, proving that the benefits of the local economy working closely with local service providers.

Having made the brief journey over to the Dark Side, we soon found ourselves back in The Station, purely as part of a scientific experiment to compare and contrast the booze from both sides of the Colne.

New possibilities have now been opened up to us - the Rowhedge Strawberry Fayre in the Village Hall on the 9th July, anyone?

Anchor’s up. Bottom’s up.

Chin chin.

To The Nottage once again on Wednesday evening for a committee meeting with the lovely WivSoc folk. With the smell of yacht varnish in the barn below being mixed up with the aroma of booze from the Rose and Crown along the Quay, this was something of a Wivenhoe moment.

There is always a sense of great history in entering the Nottage. You feel that you are truly experiencing something of Wivenhoe’s past - and hopefully the future, with WivSoc pushing forward a positive agenda for the town.

Of course you could always replicate the experience by brewing yacht beer and drinking it in your garden shed on a Wednesday evening once a month. But that would mean that you would miss the WivSoc stories. These blog posts don’t write themselves, y’know…

As ever, a varied agenda of the serious and trivial was in store. Off the Rails was up first. A request for assistance has been made by the local arts groups that is responsible for putting in place public art at Wivenhoe Station.

Off the Rails has been officially adopted by Network Rail as the organisation in which to promote art along the platforms. The potential problem is that Off the Rails may be ace at art, but has little experience of organising. WivSoc has been asked for advice.

Although not really coming under the WivSoc remit, it was agreed that conversations with Off the Rails should continue, with a view to helping the group become more self-sufficient. Another suggestion was to steer Off the Rails with the recent moves to re-start the legendary Wivenhoe Arts Club.

I’m not quite sure how this happened, but the debate then somehow let drop that the Station Master’s House has had something of a roof falling in on the world moment: THE ROOF REALLY HAS FALLEN IN, apparently, with the first floor coming crashing down.

Whoops.

Exactly where this leaves the fine Transition Town Wivenhoe and the ambitious (and ace) plans to turn the building into a sustainable community centre remains to be seen. TTW has a war chest of community goodwill, but sadly not a blank cheque to re-build Wivenhoe.

Sticking with matters fiscal, and it seems that WivSoc has saved the UK economy.

Cripes.

Recent changes in tax and insurance law means that the Chancellor has been presented with an extra £3.10 to help reduce the deficit.

We’re all in this together, Comrades.

Planning looked at the proposed development of nine new properties along Rectory Road. I still don’t quite get this ‘development’ terminology; it seems to suggest moving forward, an advancement, a development, if you will. But what if the development [urgh] is actually a step back?

They usually are…

Record Road has been previously submitted, and then withdrawn. It is now back in the hands of Colchester Borough Council. WivSoc has no formal objection, apart from a passing comment on the access road planned. A letter is being drawn up to put this point across. Town planning speak for re-wording of the phrase “jolly nasty design” were then discussed.

It is at this stage in the development (aha!) that it is perhaps worth reminding folk of the recent changes in the CBC planning application process. New applications will by-pass the Committee and go straight to council officers, UNLESS two formal objections are made. These need to be put in place through your local CBC ward councillor.

A hop, skip and a jump down Rectory Road, via an afternoon bender at the Rose and Crown (steady) and we’re at Cook’s. We’re also at the point that no WivSoc committee meeting would be complete without: the development [urgh, urgh] of the old shipyard.

A diligent spot on the CBC database by our esteemed Queen of Planning, and it seems that a variance in use has been put forward for the commercial developments along from the Quay.

The units were originally intended for commercial use for home workers as a business unit. The suggestion now is that they will be able to open up on Sundays and Bank Holidays, and also have the option to serve refreshments outdoors.

With On the Corner (nee the Corner House) now focussing on the evening economy, having one more place to purchase coffee in Wivenhoe during the daytime has to be seen as something worth welcoming.

Keeping with the public space theme, it seems that the old St John’s Ambulance building has become embroiled in a bit of a local tug of law. Time to repeat my personal mantra of not commenting in public on private planning applications. Still holding out for that nightclub at the bottom of the garden…

With Moving Image finding funding problems for the long-term purchase of the building, a local artist is interested in taking over St John’s for studio space. This includes the possibility of opening up for exhibitions.

*Some* members of Wivenhoe Town Council though are unhappy with this move. They see the building as one of the few remaining possibilities to keep it as a shared community resource. Booking a public venue in Wivenhoe is becoming increasingly difficult. *Some* members of WTC would like to keep all options open.

I wouldn’t stretch it out as far as calling it a rival bid, but a second group is in the running to try and restore the building for community use. A figure of £25,000 has been quoted to carry out repairs. It appears that the second group already has this capital.

I’m not ruling out a *ahem* THIRD bid, should my application for the nightclub in the back garden be turned down.

Keeping it social and the WivSoc is genuinely overjoyed with the tremendous success of the recent riverbank clean up. This was the most successful yet, with 80 volunteers turning up on a Sunday morning to help make the Colne a little bit cleaner.

The results are there to see - a tidal litter free stretch, all the way down to the Hythe. WivSoc was particularly happy to see young volunteers from the Hub and the Scouts and Guides coming out to help.

Cleaning up the Colne has become something of uniting community issue (or maybe not…) with some lovely plans to stretch out across the other side and involve our friends from Rowhedge.

It has been suggested that WivSoc twins future clean ups with the Rowhedge lot. We can even wave to one another from the other side. I know which half of the great divide I’d wager has the greater amount of mess to clean up.

Other social news includes a welcome return of the WivSoc wine tasting evening, taking place this year on the 18th November at the Congregational Hall. Our friends from the Co-op are once again very kindly providing the booze.

Chin chin.

But try and keep it sober - here comes that nice Mr Mayor with his formal report from the recent WTC meeting. I say formal, but the Dress Down Wednesday and affable approach of our civic leader, kept it all rather light-hearted.

A fair few serious issues however:

The proposed new Health Centre behind the Fire Station has seen considerable movement in recent weeks. As previously reported, Mr Mayor has held a meeting with the PCT, leaving Councillor Sinclair:

“More positive than at any stage before.”

Basically the PTC wants a decision imminently, ahead of the proposed national government shake-up of the NHS. A meeting of the Executive is being held next month, where a final decision is expected to be made.

Mr Mayor reported that the site itself is now ready for construction. The last remaining planning hurdle (a stray tree root) has now been resolved. Slight cynicism though from some sections of WivSoc, with mumblings of we’ve been here before…

Mr Mayor then spoke of his personal quest to:

“Bang a few heads together to try and get some co-operation from our local councillors.”

Cripes.

Not in the literal sense of course, but with currently two LibDems, One Tory and one Labour councillor, Mr Mayor is concerned that possible Section 106 funds coming out of the Knowledge Gateway might get lost in the political fog of tribal party politics.

The Cross ward has been singled out as being in most urgent need of new funds. A hit list of possible projects has been drawn up by WTC. I’d personally like to see a tag team-wrestling contest featuring all four councillors.

Purchasing the old police station houses is also a current priority for Mr Mayor:

“Most town councillors are on board with the concept. There is a feeling that this is a one-off opportunity to keep these under public use. We dare not let go of them.”

The police apparently quoted a figure of £400,000 four years ago, although WTC holds strong that this was never put forward in writing. It is expected that a similar figure will remain the market value today.

Which is slightly steep for a local town council that has just had a significant funding cut from the paymasters of CBC. The plan is to approach the Municipal Loan Board, and then rent out the properties to service the loan.

We finished off with My Mayor updating on the #hyperlocal political process:

“We have four new councillors, and four retiring councillors - which leaves us two short of our quota. I would have LOVED for this to have gone to election - it would have done WTC a world of good.”

I still reckon mud wrestling is the way to go, Comrades.

See ya next month…

Wivsoc - Disclaimer: I am a member of the Wivenhoe Society, although not a committee member. All views expressed within this blog post are mine alone, and not that of the committee, or the Society in general.

A head count of seventy volunteers on Sunday as the bi-annual Wivenhoe Society riverbank clean up waded out of the station car park, shortly before the bells of St Mary’s greeted the morning.

For all this political twaddle talk of the #bigsociety, it was great to see #wivsociety in action around here locally. No political points to be scored, simply a cross section of the community proving the worth of the many hands make light work mantra.

Volunteers from both the Wivenhoe Scouts and the Hub youth club helped out the more mature members of WivSoc lifting logs, picking up crisp packets and removing old World War Two stretchers (seriously) from around the banks of the Colne.

Cripes.

The riverside walk from Wivenhoe down to Ferry Marsh and the Hythe is of course all rather lovely, but time and tide and cans of Tennent’s wait for no WivSoc member.

The twice-yearly roam along the riverbank with bin bags now plays an essential role in helping to keep the unique beauty of this area. For such a raw and (relatively) unspoiled natural landscape, even the smallest amount of tidal junk can take away the charm.

On Sunday and some of the artefacts taken out of the riverbank were really quite remarkable. As well as the WW2 stretcher, tyres, trousers and a well-crafted wooden collection box were all found.

I concentrated my efforts around Ferry Marsh, which was relatively clear following the recent environmental work by the Un-environmental Agency. With the rosehips, sloes and blackberry bushes long since slaughtered, whisper is quietly - the roots are starting to spring upwards once again.

Polystyrene proved to be a major pain. Fragments of fragments could be found everywhere. Used ear buds also proved to be popular. Or should that be unpopular?

Ugh.

With an incoming tide drawing a close to the collection, it was reassuring to remember that most of the crap in the Colne wasn’t the consequence of Wivenhoe litter droppers. Living in a tidal town means that we are washed up with all the refuse from Essex. I personally blame that other lot on the other side of the Colne.

With some very welcome corporate support from our friends at EWD skips in Brightlingsea, as well as a couple of incredibly hard-working WTC ground staff, the Colne was cleared just before morning service came to a close at St Mary’s.

Not wanting to preach, but remember: there is no such thing as the #bigsociety. #wivsociety is working on the frontline, Comrades.

I stopped off at the Trail entrance to Ferry Marsh early one morning this week. The plan was to capture on camera what appears to be a sprinkling of broken green glass all along the path around to West Quay; the plan was to write another angry blog post all about the continued disregard for our natural habitat by the Environment Agency. The plan was to get my online knickers in a twist.

Best laid plans, ‘n all that.

Thankfully the day job has kept me rather busy this week. I didn’t find the time to rant and rave all about the latest move by the EA on the stretch of land overlooking Rowhedge.

Which is just as well really - the photos are rather pathetic and the glass isn’t nearly as bad as I first thought. There may even be some logic in spreading tiny fragments of broken green bottles all along Ferry Marsh.

My early fears were that this would make the path impassable for cyclists, something which *possibly* was the plan all along. Apparently cycling isn’t permitted (or at least is heavily frowned upon) all the way along Ferry Marsh.

But then what of the safety of young children wanting to walk and play along the path? In a dedication to the cause that goes way beyond the call (and sanity) of duty, lovely Wivenhoe Forum (whadya mean you still haven’t joined blah blah blah) member Marika walked bare foot along Ferry Marsh.

Blimey.

She survived in tact. I have my suspicions that she may have even enjoyed it.

And then as the week passed, more details came my about the logic of all the tiny fragments of glass along Ferry Marsh. With a heads up to Moira, a member of the Wivenhoe Wood Working Party passed on the following information:

“I was working in the Ferry Marsh yesterday and that gave me the chance to see footpath 10 since the Environment Agency cleared all the blackthorn and re-surfaced it. It’s now topped first with a clay sub-strate and then granite chippings on top. There was a constant stream of people in each direction, mainly, of course, walkers, but also bikers, including young girls, and at least one wheel chair user.

Despite all the criticism, I feel that these people would not have been able to use the path prior to its “rebuild”, so I feel that it has been a very positive move. Incidentally, [x] was there and complained that the stone chippings included lots of little pieces of glass, which she could see when the sun shone on it.

We explained that this was almost certainly mica, a common mineral included in granite, and unlikely to cut her dog’s feet. The Ranger in charge of the Woods working party has offered to erect a bench or two along that stretch of Row 10 unless there are any objections. It would probably be in six to ten weeks’ time.”

So yeah - it’s not so much tip toeing on broken glass, but counting my blessings that I didn’t put my size tens (eights actually) in and bang on about the situation.

I still miss the blackberry, rosehip and sloe bushes. But if this allows a wheelchair user to experience some sense of the natural beauty, then this may be the price we have to pay.

With a glorious spring estuary weather to guide us along the way, Tuesday morning was spent having a sneaky upstream view of Wivenhoe from within the epicentre of the Colne Flood Barrier.

Blimey.

The event was part of the annual Open Day organised by our friends (steady) from the Environment Agency. Three sessions were advertised, each with a maximum capacity of twenty flood barrier nosey parkers.

Arriving fashionably late as ever, it was great to see around one hundred Wivenhoe locals being allowed within the control room of the EA operations for a brief talk, Q & A’s and then a stroll out along the Wivenhoe arm of the barrier itself.

The presentation was part historical, part technical. We learnt that tidal patterns are monitored down at the Colne each day from as far up as North Scotland. This gives a thirty-six hour advance warning for any abnormal high tides ahead.

Thursday 10th already has the thick red marker pen treatment on the EA calendar. Sleep well though lower Wivenhoe - the barrier protects us (and a large area of Colchester) from five up to five metres of above average sea level.

To put this into perspective, if the barrier was around during the last great floods of 1953, Wivenhoe wouldn’t have noticed any difference down by the Quay.

Computer generated predictor models are constantly in place to help the protection. It’s not just the tidal surge that can cause problems - fresh water travelling downstream from the Colne is also taken into account. Those nice insurance companies are constantly asking questions about possible Wivenhoe tidal woes…

And now for the science:

Two hydraulically operated cylinders close the Colne Flood Barrier. These weigh seven tonnes each, and cost £94,000 when they were first manufactured back in 1992. If one of them fails, then the single cylinder can still shut and open the barrier.

The barrier is powered with a stand-alone oil bio-degradable generator. If Wivenhoe experiences a power cut and this coincides with a flood, rest assured - we won’t be getting wet in the dark. It takes fifteen minutes for the barrier to close, with an estimated 3,000 homes falling under the protection footprint.

The barrier is being refurbished in two years time on the twentieth anniversary after first being built. Half a million pounds of central government funding is paying for this. This has been ring-fenced free of any cuts, costed out as a safety analysis requirement. The work will take place over the summer of 2013, when the tide is traditionally at a seasonal low.

And then it was time to walk it like the man from the EA was talking it, and take a spring stroll out across the Colne Flood Barrier.

Cripes.

This was without a doubt the highlight of the morning. With a stunning early spring lighting up all the way down from the Hythe out towards Brightlingsea, the view was a crystal clear combination of blue (ish…) water and blue sky.

It gave you a fresh perspective of Wivenhoe and the surrounds from a commanding mid-steam position. I hadn’t realised the extremity of the bend that the Colne follows around the Roman River. Likewise I hadn’t counted on the sheer length of stretch that is West Quay, when compared to the old Quay itself.

A quick stroll back through the control room, and blimey - I found myself all alone at the master desk, key in the switchboard and a big red button flashing in front of me.

Mmm…

Now would not be a good time to make my mark in Wivenhoe by closing the barrier and creating a temporary bridge across to Rowhedge.

For all the knocking of the EA of late (um, by me) and the vandalism of the Colne sea wall, this really was a wonderful morning. It also *wasn’t* the most appropriate time to take the engineers of the barrier to task about the wider programme of destruction carried out by their unevironmentally sound sea wall colleagues.

The message that I took away from the morning is that the Colne Flood Barrier is all about systems, protocol and back-ups. Every eventuality has been taken into account to help keep Wivenhoe safe from future floods.

It may not be the most beautiful piece of architecture out in the estuary wilds, but the future may look a lot bleaker if it wasn’t there to keep an eye on the Colne for us.

If it’s Wednesday Week then it must mean that it’s time for a meeting of the lovely Wivenhoe Society committee in the library upstairs at the Nottage.

Hurrah!

Not that I officially sit at the top table for the local group that has Wivenhoe, its heritage and its future at its heart - simply that I have been very kindly invited to come along to the meetings as an interested observer. I think that’s a polite way of putting that I’m a nosey parker.

With kitten commitments eating into my early evening (update: we have litter tray lift off. Oh Lordy…) no surprises that I was running slightly late as I headed quayside.

No worries - the first agenda item was a report on the most recent Wivenhoe Town Council meeting that took place on Monday. Our fine man from the Council was double-booked (and possibly double-parked) and so we had a read out of the minutes from the fine Chair.

It was an interesting blow-by-blow account of potholes, police station sell-offs and public convenience refurbishment updates. It was also a repeat performance for me, and so I wasn’t going to be taken in by any cliffhanger.

Mr Mayor‘s bike left unlocked outside The Greyhound, you say? It ‘aint gonna be a happy ending, fella.

Sticking with WTC, and WivSoc heard how our local councillors are a little cash strapped right now. Not in a personal sense - although there’s no dosh to be made out of volunteering for civic service - but as a consequences of the cuts coming our way via Colchester Borough Council and beyond.

The consequences for WivSoc are all connected to the Colne clean up on the 10th April. Breaking tradition, and WTC has asked for a small payment to cover the cost of two employees to help take away all the crap that has sadly found its way by the banks of the Colne.

A ‘friendly and constructive conversation’ followed. I’m no kiss and teller: in fact I’m lucky if I ever get to reach the kissing stage. But I’m breaking no confidences is stating that the balance sheet of the WivSoc probably can’t stretch to TWO groundsmen, Sunday overtime et al.

At a wider level, this opens up very real questions about who actually holds the responsibility for looking after the Colne: CBC? WTC? WivSoc? *shhh* Dave’s #bigsociety?

Blimey.

It’s all about doing your bit, and helping out wherever and whenever you can. We are blessed in Wivenhoe to have wonderful organisations such as The Hub youth club and Transition Town Wivenhoe, both of whom have very kindly offered to lend some helping hands on the big day of the riverbank clean up.

The river is sadly looking a right old mess heading out towards the Hythe. Time allowing and I sometimes stop to pick up the odd can. Many hands make light work. Two WTC groundsmen may make light work, but they will also lighten the load on the WivSoc bank account.

Speaking of which, I’m playing my cards closer to my chest than a 44FF gifted young lady who is holding all the aces: Yep - it’s only the WivSoc Treasurer’s Report.

A small amount of money has been made from selling calendars. Costs have occurred in printing out the Newsletter up at University, plus the very kind donation from WivSoc to Wivenhoe in Bloom (£200 seeing as though you ask. I think the tight lipped 44FF gifted young lady has just undone a singular bra strap.)

The Secretary’s Report confirmed that the speaker at the WivSoc AGM in April will be the Director of Colchester Arts Centre. This is an ace choice of guest, with three decades of sex, drugs and rock’n roll to tell tall tales of. Oh - and Fairport Convention.

Other AGM plans are now all in place. Most importantly these include the news that Dave Harrison, the Wivenhoe Wine Toaster Extraordinaire is well on the case. Or even the cases.

Chin Chin.

Perhaps the most important part of the evening was the monthly analysis of planning applications. Wivenhoe is full (so said the man who has just moved in…) Even minor alterations can have an impact upon the local infrastructure.

The application for a block of flats along Rectory Road has been withdrawn. WivSoc welcomes this, taking the view that the original plans were cramp and ill conceived.

But the real biggie when it comes to proposed new buildings right now is all about that other lot over the river. The planning application has now been formally submitted for the redevelopment of Rowhedge Warf. It seems that our near neighbours are about to go through what Wivenhoe went through over the past two decades with the residential opening up of the waterfront.

With the original application for 300 new builds being thrown out by CBC, the developers have now come back with a proposal for 170 new homes on the site of the empty wharf.

Don’t be fooled by the reduction - this is the application for only the first stage. Today’s Cook’s Phase 3 is the future Phase 3 for our friends at Rowhedge. A total of 250 new builds is believed to be the aim of the developer.

And so what interest is all of this to WivSoc? Well… that beautiful scenic waterfront view just as the sun is setting over West Quay could look drastically different in a decade from now.

The derelict wharf ‘aint exactly a beauty spot right now, but the opportunity is there to guide and advise as to what might take its place, and help keep the Colne a scenic place in which to live around.

The newly submitted plans seem to suggest that an access road will be built right along the Rowhedge waterfront. On a practical level this allows more property to be tightly packed in.

WivSoc takes the view that the increase in traffic levels, and subsequent noise, are sufficient reasons to oppose this. An access road behind the first row of houses, similar to West Quay, would seem more sensible.

The new set of plans has dropped the proposal for a series of tall residential properties. Two and a half storey is now the average height, with a single flagship taller property as the centerpiece, designed to mirror the splendor of our own St Mary’s.

Good luck on that one.

And so the Rowhedge redevelopment seems inevitable, and if put in place sensibly, most certainly an improvement on the current abandoned wharf. But there’s a huge gulf between local sensibilities and the balance sheet of a corporate developer.

Moving on…

A domestic planning application for Belle Vue Road was briefly touched upon. I have a personal policy of publicly not passing any judgment on non-commercial planning applications - there but for the grace of God, ‘n all that twaddle. Did I mention the plans for a skyscraper extension to our back garden?

Concluding the planning update and the application for Cedric’s Bus Garage has been withdrawn. No reason has been stated. CBC has turned down the planning application for a care home for special needs kids on Cracknall Close, up towards Broomgorve.

Planning sorted, time for some Front of House hospitality. We’re talking in particular here the annual competition to see who can tart up their two up, two down best with hanging baskets and other fauna and flora. Excitement is building within WivSoc (seriously) with the publicity, prizes and judges being organised.

A request was then considered from WTC for a call of interest in helping to put together plans for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in the town next year. WivSoc collectively may be supportive of the Monarchy, but then again WivSoc *may not* be collectively supportive of the Monarchy. Either way, no official Royalist response is being sent back to the Town Council offices.

On the Social front and a quick read of the officer’s report suggests that WivSoc is one wild abandon of a social party, with an occasional eye on planning applications.

Possibly.

Bookings are already coming in for the November Craft Fair (phew - rock ‘n roll.) A serious fiscal debate then followed, regarding the raising of the entry price from 20p to 50p. It is under such circumstances that revolutions take hold.

The fine Wivenhoe Folk Club and Transition Town Wivenhoe group have both been offered free stalls for the WivSoc Fun Day on 10th September. The rather excellent Judith Chalmers popular combo band has been booked once again for the Post Christmas Party on 7th January.

The NAP minutes were then up for discussion. Once again, I refer my honorable friend to the answer I gave some three weeks ago.

And finally, Any Other Business - always the best part of any local meeting, and the one time when I feel like taking to my feet for a spot of stand up.

But there wasn’t much to laugh about when we went over the escalation during the past month of the blatant vandalism of the Colne vegetation by the Environment Agency. This is an area that was discussed in mild terms last month when the signs first went up.

What has happened in-between has been well documented. There’s one hell of a difference between the posting of some A4 signs along the Colne, and the complete destruction of the once wonderful area of natural beauty.

With spring finally starting to shoot through along the estuary, the one uplifting thought to come out of the very depressing debate was the hint of some guerilla gardening taking place by the Colne.

Cripes.

And then a final, final item agenda, which seems to have slipped into our little local patch almost undetected. Heads up the good folk of the Queens Road Resident’s Association who were very early on the case in highlighting the proposed waste dump site across the river at Fingringhoe Wick.

What is up for grabs here is essentially landfill:

“Thames and Colne have a plan to import and process waste at Ballast Quay. Part of the company’s plans for the expansion of four quarry sites in Fingringhoe involves the import and processing of inert waste material to infill the quarry sites. Processing of the waste will take place at Ballast Quay.”

A huge variety of materials are proposed to be part of the project. This includes plastic and other non-biogradable items. Where this leaves the long-term plan of flooding the marsh remains to be seen.

Of more immediate concern is the 24/7 schedule for the operation. The noise of the mechanical machinery will travel around 1km in distance - easily within reach of the residential accommodation down by Wivenhoe Quay. It is also expected to be a light pollutant as well.

As this is a business proposal and not a residential property development, it seems that the usual channels for alerting and consulting with local residents has passed by under the radar. WivSoc is going to urgently raise the matter with Essex County Councillor Julie Young, and Bernard Jenkin MP.

And so that was WivSoc for another month. With issues covering major commercial and residential development, down to the cost of entering the Craft Fair. The agenda reflects the diverse issues currently taking place around the town, and likewise the need for a diverse range of local representation.

Once again, I feel guided to point you in the direction of the membership page on the WivSoc website. If you join up rather prompt, you might just be in time for the AGM, the debate and… the booze.

Chin chin.