Road verges - ecological protection scheme

Susan Davis made this Freedom of Information request to Vale of Glamorgan Council

The request was refused by Vale of Glamorgan Council.

From: Susan Davis

8 March 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

If you run an ecological protection scheme for road verges in your
area, please could you provide me with the following details:

a) what protection measures a verge receives when it is included in
the scheme

b) the list of verges covered by the scheme (and their locations -
road name/number and six figure OS grid references would be fine)

c) for each verge, the specific reasons why the verge has been
included in the scheme - i.e. the notable species found there, or
the NVC community present

If you do not run such a scheme in your area, but you are aware
that another body does, please could you refer me to them instead.

Many thanks,

Susan Davis

Link to this

From: Baker, Dennis
Vale of Glamorgan Council

9 March 2009

Susan Davis

Environmental Information Regulations 2004 - Information Request

We have considered your request and provide the following information:

Highway verges are an important habitat, which, in addition to providing
food and refuge for wildlife, link together many habitats that may
otherwise be isolated, allowing species to migrate and colonise new areas.

The importance of highway verges was first recognised in the 1930s when
the County Council's Association was asked if verges could be left uncut
until July or early autumn. The proposal was dismissed and widespread
management was not widely considered again until the 1960s when some
County Wildlife Trusts set up protected verge management schemes with
local highway authorities.

In 1968 an agreement between Glamorgan County Council and Glamorgan
Wildlife Trust was established to delay the cutting of selected road
verges, except where road safety would be jeopardised. In 1984/85 surveys
of roadside verges were carried out identifying more than forty Highway
Verge Conservation Zones (HVCZs) and in the following three years further
management reviews and site visits were made.

After local government reorganisation in 1996, the Vale of Glamorgan
Council undertook surveys of all the existing and potential HVCZs in the
summer of 1997. Since that time a number of HVCZs have been declassified
due to a safety requirement or a limited botanical interest and several
have been added.

In 2008 a complete resurvey of the scheme was carried out by the Wildlife
Trust of South and West Wales: looking to confirm existing HVCZs and
identify new ones, consider their importance with regard to priority
habitats identified in the LBAP (currently under review) and address
management issues.

The report is still being finalised and will be undergoing a consultation
process at the Council and with the LBAP partnership. Details of the
revised scheme and the revised list of HVCZs will be made available on the
Vale of Glamorgan Council website later this year.

I trust the above shall be acceptable for now however please contact me if
you have any concerns.

Dennis Baker

Foi Unit

Email: [email address]

Tel: 01446-709423

Fax: 01446-709433

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From: Susan Davis

10 March 2009

Dear Dennis,

Thank you very much for your helpful reply. I will look out for the
detaield of the revisions to the scheme on your website.

For the moment, could you process my request for the sites as
presently designated, so that I can gain an understanding of the
current position?

Yours,

Susan Davis

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From: Baker, Dennis
Vale of Glamorgan Council

25 March 2009

Susan

Environmental Information Regulations 2004 - Information Request

Sorry for the delay in returning to you. As was stated earlier details of
the revised scheme and the revised list of HVCZs will be made available on
the Vale of Glamorgan Council website later this year. However may I
suggest you refer to the following link to our Local Biodiversity Action
Plan?

[1]http://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/living...

You will find information on the Vale of Glamorgan Biodiversity
Partnership and a link to the LBAP document

I trust this will be sufficient for your current purpose however should
you have any concerns please contact me.

Dennis Baker

Foi Unit

Email: [email address]

Tel: 01446-709423

Fax: 01446-709433

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References

Visible links
1. http://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/living...

Link to this

From: Susan Davis

27 March 2009

Dear Dennis,

Thanks for your further reply. I thin kyou may have misunderstood
what I was asking - apologies if I was unclear.

I am grateful for the advance notice of the revised scheme and will
look out for details of that, however, my request is about the
scheme which you have in place at present. If I've understood your
earlier reply correctly, you've said that there are some extant
HCVZs (because only some have been declassified). It is these
remaining ones which my enquiry relates to.

I hope that helps to clarify things, but if not, please do come
back to me.

Yours sincerely,

Susan Davis

Link to this

From: Baker, Dennis
Vale of Glamorgan Council

31 March 2009

Susan

We are able to supply you with locations of HVCZ's. If you could provide me
with your address we will post them to you. You may not wish to have your
address on this website so if you respond direct I can sort it for you

Dennis Baker
Foi Unit
Email: [email address]
Tel: 01446-709423
Fax: 01446-709433

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Link to this

From: Susan Davis

31 March 2009

Dear Dennis,

Thanks for your further reply. Are you able to send me the
locations by email, to this address?

Yours,

Susan Davis

Link to this

From: Baker, Dennis
Vale of Glamorgan Council

1 April 2009

Susan

What we, in effect, will be doing is creating a map to assist you.
Unfortunately such a map will well exceed the limit we are able to send
electronically therefore I shall require a postal address. Should you wish
to provide your address outside of the web page then fine you have my email
address to do so

Dennis Baker
Foi Unit
Email: [email address]
Tel: 01446-709423
Fax: 01446-709433

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Link to this

From: Susan Davis

7 April 2009

Dear Dennis,

Thanks for your further reply. Would it be possible to split the
map up into multiple "tiles" so that the individual sections are
small enough to fall within the limit?

Yours sincerely,

Susan Davis

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From: Susan Davis

2 June 2009

Dear Vale of Glamorgan Council,

I do not appear to have received any further correspondence from
you in relation to my FOI/EIR request since April. Could you please
let me know the current position with responding to my request.

Thank you

Susan Davis

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From: Baker, Dennis
Vale of Glamorgan Council

3 June 2009

Susan Davis

Environmental Information Regulations 2004 - Information Request

Further to your earlier email.  The relevant service area advises as
follows (italics)

They would be able to provide a map of the locations of HVCZs in the Vale
along with species lists for them however they won't know the size of the
map until it is actually created  but guess it to be in the order of
20-30mb (if not more).

To create individual maps for each HVCZ would probably take a whole day.
Printing one single map and posting it would certainly be easiest.

The EIR permits a local authority to charge a reasonable rate to make
environmental information available.  You are asking for information that
is not readily available but is required to be created.  Our planning
department suggests a reasonable rate of £30 per hour.  An estimate to
create both a one-off map and or single maps could be provided.  Please
inform me if you wish to receive an estimated cost however it is noted the
easiest option would be to create a single map and use the postal service
OR if you live locally arrangement could be made for collection. 

Please advise me on the above however if you believe we have failed to
comply with your request you have the right under Regulation 11 of the EIR
to complain to the council.

Please note I have spoken with our Ecologist who advises that in the near
future an up to date report with current information (whereas what you
have been asking for is dated information) shall be freely available on
the VoG website.  This option may be more suitable for you

Finally I would inform you that you can obtain more information in
relation to the Environmental Information Regulations from the Information
Commissioners Office (Wales) whose contact details are set out as below:

Information Commissioners Office (Wales),

Cambrian Buildings,

Mount Stuart Square,

CARDIFF,

CF10 5FL

Telephone: 02920 448044

Fax: 02920 448045

Email: [email address]

[1]http://www.ico.gov.uk/what_we_cover/envi...

Dennis Baker

Foi Unit

Email: [email address]

Tel: 01446-709423

Fax: 01446-709433

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References

Visible links
1. http://www.ico.gov.uk/what_we_cover/envi...
http://www.ico.gov.uk/what_we_cover/envi...

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From: Susan Davis

3 June 2009

Dear Dennis,

Many thanks - this is very helpful. Could you give me an estimated
date for the release of the update report?

Yours,

Susan

Link to this

From: Baker, Dennis
Vale of Glamorgan Council

5 June 2009

Unfortunately I am unable to. The following link will assist you

http://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/living...

Request the Countryside and Environment Section

Dennis

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Things to do with this request

Anyone:
Vale of Glamorgan Council only: