MINUTES: Seafront enhancement sub-committee
(of the Town Improvements Committee)
Minutes of the meeting held on 7th April 2021 via video conferencing.
Present: Cllr Hodge (chairman), Cllr M Facey, Cllr P Clayton, Cllr D Carey, Cllr P Harvey, Cllr M Murphy, Cllr C Allen with Steve Matthews, Project Coordinator, and Sam Winter, Town Clerk, in attendance.
10/21/Sea To receive apologies for non-attendance
None
11/21/Sea To receive any declarations of interest on items included on this agenda.
None
12/21/Sea The minutes of the sub-committee meeting held on 8th February 2021 were approved and signed by the chairman as a correct record
13/21/Sea To receive a guest speaker who will share experience of coach tourism as it relates to the BE funded element
A local expert on the visitor economy and coach travel, including expertise on retaining coach friendly status, was invited to speak with the sub-committee to give councillors informal insight to the industry so they might better assess the feasibility of the installation of a coach shelter in Pier Street car park.
The meeting heard that Burnham-on-Sea is not a coach tour destination, but is a stop off point that already has coach friendly status, and although the town is due an inspection, the installation of the shelter is not required to retain that status. It was advised that the proposed c.£25k shelter is unlikely to achieve a benefit to either drivers (due to the location/building type) or to the town traders (it will not encourage spend or increase the number of stop-offs). Additional information was given in relation to alternative options to provide a private space for drivers that would avoid the installation and ongoing maintenance costs, as well as potential arrangements for ‘meet and greet’ activities.
14/21/Sea To receive an update on the live elements of the Burnham Evolution plan
• project coach (dedicated drop-off/collection point, hut & camera)
Following discussion of the information given by the guest speaker, it was resolved that a recommendation will be made to the Town Improvements Committee that the funding for the coach building should not be increased from the £11,700 budget to c.£26,800 (a significant cost would be to supply power to the unit) and that permissions should instead be sought to reallocate the budget to an alternative Burnham Evolution project.
Councillors agreed to liaise with traffic engineers to request directional road signage for coaches.
• Signage (including fingerposts)
The original supplier of the town fingerposts will not offer a discount on replacement signs as the time that elapsed between installation and deterioration exceeded the 1-year guarantee period. The corrosion of the existing fingerposts has been determined by suppliers as being usual & expected in a seafront environment.
It was agreed that some of the deterioration in signage was due to a lack of maintenance by asset owners, which it was agreed must be addressed in the future through allocation of appropriate maintenance budget.
The Project Coordinator suggested some alternative designs and materials and confirmed that suppliers have stated that signs supplied with non-standard custom paints will not attract a warranty. Following discussion, it was agreed that councillors will seek-out and share examples of standard signage in a suitable design made from more weather resistant materials. Prices will then be sought, with a view to replacing the signage this year.
• Lighting, bollards and decorations
The meeting heard that the lighting columns and bollards are due to be painted this spring and it was agreed that all bands are to be gold (none silver).
Due to concerns regarding longevity and costs of decorative lighting, it was agreed that any decision to add decorative lighting to the columns will be taken on consideration of a qualified lighting engineers report to be commissioned by the town clerk.
The four old fibreglass planters will be replaced with new plastic self-watering planters, subject to quotes within existing budgets.
• seafront shelters & seawall
It was agreed that the Project Coordinator should proceed, subject to Environment Agency permission, with procurement of the cleaning of the footpath side of seawall as per the agreed maintenance budget at c.£24k, and, in addition, arrange for cleaning works to the shelters and footpath areas.
• Seafront art (additional funding by HTAP) Being addressed with working group & seed – delivery date c.2022 – subject to CIM permissions to reallocate funds to top-up.
15/21/sea Delivery of play area.
Contracts have been signed and works are due to start towards the end of April, lasting approx. 6 weeks.
16/21/sea Agree any recommendations to TIMPS
As recorded above.
17/21/Sea Next meeting TBC