Date: 14 April 2009

My Ref: FOI/2009/0111/CLO

Your Ref:

Contact: Victoria Tudor

Direct dial: 01934 634825

Susan Davies

Via email

Dear Ms Davies

Freedom of Information Act (2000) - Request for Information

I write following our acknowledgement letter, dated 9 March 2009. Please find below our response to your Freedom of Information request:

ST 514 752

A369, Martcome Road, St Georges Flowerbank Local Nature Reserve, Easton in-Gordano. The embankment is not cut as routine maintenance as it is managed by volunteers. It receives a late summer hay cut and some scrub control to conserve the unimproved limestone grassland and invertebrate interest of the site.

The site was surveyed (DAFOR) in 2004 by Rupert Higgins of Wessex Ecological (survey report available if required).

The Avon notable species recorded include pyramidal orchid, carline thistle, blue fleabane, common gromwell, and bee orchid, which are all identified in the Flora of the Bristol Region as plants with a very localised distribution.

Other grassland indicator species include purging flax, glaucous sedge, greater knapweed, common spotted orchid and ploughman's spikenard, which are all present in high quantities.

ST 520 693

A370, Long Ashton Bypass, managed verge and roundabout

No cutting as the verge has a high botanical interest and is managed by volunteers. However, it is intended that the roundabout area will be managed as a 50% late summer haycut by the local authority, as the site is a designated Local Site. It was surveyed by Phil Quinn in 2008 (DAFOR survey available if required) and comprises an unimproved neutral grassland, strongly associated with the National Vegetation Classification (NVC) MG5 Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland community in the more species rich areas and MG1 Arrhrenatherum elatius grassland where is species is dominant.

Species found on the site include pyramidal and common spotted orchids, fleabane, adder's tongue fern, black knapweed, bird's foot trefoil, and buck's horn plantain.

ST 401 584

Wint Hill, Banwell, bluebell banks

(First cut missed off).

ST 440 606

King Road, Churchill, spring wild flowers

(First cut missed off).

ST 454 631

Iwood Lane, Wrington, newt habitat

(First cut missed off).

ST 432 723

Nortons Wood Lane, Clevedon, toad habitat,

(First cut missed off).

ST 514 616

Butcombe village, wild flowers-Parish request.

(First cut missed off).

ST 380 620

Verge on first 100m stretch of A370 from M5 Jnc. 21 on left hand side going towards Hewish before first gated entrance. Pyramidal orchids.

No cuts to orchid area over summer and late summer cut of orchid bank in September, at least ever other year to prevent scrub encroachment.

In addition, isolated pockets of verges are not cut if bluebells or other wildflowers are present. The small workforce have been instructed by the Area Officer not to cut sections of a verge if there are colourful flowers present.

In line with the Freedom of Information Act (2000) and the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004, the Council reserves the right to charge for disbursements, such as photocopying and postage. However, on this occasion no fee will be charged.

Please note that the Freedom of Information Act only provides you with a right of access to recorded information. Any information subject to copyright will continue to be protected by the Copyright Designs and Patents Act (1998). This includes information which is copyright of the council. Disclosure of any information by the council to you does not provide you with any rights to use or distribute the information in breach of any copyright.

North Somerset Council now considers that it has complied with your request. However, if you are dissatisfied with our response you are entitled to pursue this matter through the Council's Corporate Information Manager in writing at Corporate Information Manager, The Town Hall, Walliscote Grove Road, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, BS23 1UJ.

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the Council's internal complaints procedure, you can appeal our decision by contacting the Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF.

Yours sincerely

Victoria Tudor[Author ID1: at Tue Apr 14 14:36:00 2009 ][Author ID1: at Tue Apr 14 14:36:00 2009 ]

Committee Administrator[Author ID1: at Tue Apr 14 14:36:00 2009 ][Author ID1: at Tue Apr 14 14:36:00 2009 ]

Development and Environment[Author ID1: at Tue Apr 14 14:36:00 2009 ][Author ID0: at ]

 [Author ID1: at Tue Apr 14 14:36:00 2009 ]

Tel: 01934 634825[Author ID1: at Tue Apr 14 14:36:00 2009 ][Author ID1: at Tue Apr 14 14:36:00 2009 ]

Fax: 01275 884470[Author ID1: at Tue Apr 14 14:36:00 2009 ][Author ID1: at Tue Apr 14 14:36:00 2009 ]

Philip Hall

Director of Finance and Resources

Information, Communication and Technology Department

North Somerset Council

Town Hall

Weston-super-Mare

Somerset BS23 1UJ

www.n-somerset.gov.uk