Annual report for year ended 31 March 1998

 The meadow has given great pleasure to many people, and the trustees thank them for their messages of appreciation. The notice board was put in place on 17 July '97. Philip Greenaway painted the map, for which we are most grateful. 

MAFF Countryside Stewardship Scheme

We have received the first annual grant of £1,467 from the Ministry of Agriculture under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. This grant is awarded on the understanding that the Hurst is managed in line with traditional agricultural practice for riverside flood meadows. That will entail a hay cut each summer, ideally followed by grazing. In addition, the Scheme requires us to encourage plant and animal diversity through retention of water in the main drain and by creating a `scrape' - made by scraping away some of the soil in a low-lying area to form a temporary pond after flooding. Some tree and scrub planting is also planned, together with the introduction of a few typical meadow plants such as fritillaries, meadow saxifrage and cowslips. The cowslips are already growing prolifically, and many people will have noticed the abundance of other wild flowers last year, thanks to the reduction in grazing. Tree planting and work on the drain and the scrape require permission from the Environment Agency. This has not yet come through, but we would still not be able to get the equipment on to the site until the bridge is replaced. 

Collapse of the Long Bridge.

The final blow was struck in early September when a floating tree trunk carried away the centre trestle, and the concrete deck cracked and started to sink. The County Council Bridge Engineer declared the bridge unsafe even for pedestrians and the footpath had to be closed for a short period until temporary repairs were done on 22nd September. The County Council met the cost. The bridge is now considered safe for pedestrians but not for vehicles. This has delayed tree surgery on the black poplar by Buck Pool and further pollarding of the willows. 

Plans for replacement of bridge.

In cooperation with the County Bridge Engineer and the Environment Agency, plans have been drawn up for removal of the old bridge and its replacement by a single-span bridge of similar appearance, resting on four girders of low-maintenance Corton steel, with a reinforced concrete deck.The planned maximum load is 7.5 tonnes which should be adequate for all purposes, such as the annual hay cut, maintenance of the trees and river bank and conservation work. Planning consent has been granted. As soon as the other consents have been received, we will produce a costed plan. We hope the work can be completed by the end of July. The footpath over the bridge will probably have to be closed for about four weeks while the construction work is being done, but access from Overy will be open. 

Financing the bridge replacement.

We have applied for a grant from the Landfill Tax Rebate Scheme. If this is successful, we will not have to call upon the public for support again. However, there may be a condition imposed that part of the sum be raised by public subscription. We have been granted £2,500 by South Oxfordshire District Council, for which we are very grateful. 

Removal of power lines from meadow.

The SEB have removed the cables and will remove the posts later. 

Hay cut and grazing.

The hay was cut in July. Approaches have been made to local farmers to graze sheep or cattle on the meadow, so far without success. We will persevere. 

Fishing.

Under the guidance of the bailiffs (Chuck Selwood, Richard Pratt and Gerald Pratt) the fishing has gone well and has produced £720 in fees from non-residents. 

Memorial to the late Mr Ralph Cherrill.

Two oak trees have been planted and a small bronze plaque will be added soon. 

Buck Pool weir and sluice.

These are in a bad state of repair. They are now owned by the Highways Agency who will probably be putting repairs in hand. The site is private and there is no public right of way over the bridges which are not safe for pedestrians. 

Volunteers needed!

We plan to remove ragwort before the hay cut. Volunteers are needed, for that and for dealing with creeping thistle. Please give your names to Leo or Peter. 

Financial report.

The Trust had a surplus of receipts over income of £694 for the year, mainly due to donations and grants received. The bank balance at 31 March 1998 was £4,977. Accounts are available for inspection from the hon: secretary or hon: treasurer. 

Suggestions welcome.

We need your ideas and suggestions to ensure that we are on the right track. Please speak or write to Peter or any of the trustees, listed on previous page.