Nicked this off the Rive Wye Gillies Association site. Some fascinating figures there:
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Interesting information in this correspondence being sent to WAG.
It shows we are the poor relations in respect of grants and funding doled out during the last five years.
Note WUFs £40.000 from the splash fund - anyone ever seen how it was spent?
MERTHYR TYDFIL ANGLING ASSOCIATION.
Company Limited by guarantee
Web Site:
Merthyr Tydfil Angling Association
President: Mr Huw Lewis AM
Vice Presidents : Mr D Havard MP. Mr T.C. Lewis
Life Member : Lord Rowlands. O.Caudle.
Mr. W.G. Davies: Chairman. 3 Blanche Street,
E mail:W.GARY.DAVIES@sky.com Dowlais,
Merthyr Tydfil.
CF48 3PE.
01685 371981.
07974806032
17/1/2014
Mr John Griffiths AC. AM
Minister for Sport
Ref; ACCESS
Cc ; All Assembly Members
Dear Minister,
Following on from your reply to my letter of September 2013. I had hoped that you would have condescended to visit the Angling presentation at the Sennedd last Wednesday Jan 15th, there I could have presented you with this document which was on show during the presentation. Unfortunately you did not visit the event. This document was formulated to answer your non informative reply and to press home against the argument for unfettered ACCESS to Inland Water. Of course, since your letter there have been possible advantageous events, such as the leaving of posts by certain people, who did not help the case for VOLUNTARY ACCESS.
The following was part of the presentation.
Taken from the report of the Sustainability Committee 2010
Evidence given by Sports Council Wales
To : Sustainabilitv Committee________________ 3/12/2009
Notes of Part of Evidence ONLY
Q = Question from Sustainability Committee
A = Answer from Sports council Chief Exec
\l Q - In your opinion is there need for legislation.
A - An emphatic NO
2 Q - How many people partake in outdoor ACTIVITIES (Wales)
A - A large percentage of Welsh people 49%. If you take out walkers you are left with a figure of 9%. Of this figure 1.1% are anglers. A very small % are canoes 0.02%.
These figures break down to persons affiliated to governing bodies.
Angling 40,000. Canoes 5,500. Note: There are 70,000 rod licences sold in Wales
3/ Q - We are told there is latent demand for access to water related activities.
A - How do you substantiate latent demand and from what base would you start.
4/ Q - Seeing that flowing water is not owned, would any person be committing an offence by floating on it.
A - I am not a legal person but I do know that the RIPARIAN owner has the control of what goes on over his land irrespective in air or on water.
5 Q - How do you see thing happening and should all pay.
A - Through local agreements. The problem with canoes is that they do not wish to pay. Other activities such as golf, gym, football and other have to pay, some such as golf pay a substantial amount £300pa to £1000 pa. A gym would more that likely charge £30 per month, so yes payment must figure for all except walkers.
6 Q - Do you give financial support to the canoe governing body and angling
A - Yes.
Q - How much.
A - Chair, I will send you a note detailing all financial support to all governing bodies. This year we have not funded an Access officer to Canoe Wales, (post occupied by Pam Bell)
Since the inquiry I have employed freedom of information and found the following which answers question 6 above.
1/ Grants awards to angling and canoeing,
a/ Angling £396K per 5 yrs (2008 – 2013) (Figures derived from
b/ Canoeing £1.8M “ “ “ “ freedom of Information)
c/ No Anglers 41,913 equates to value of £9.43 / angler per 5 yrs d/ No canoes 3,800 “ “ “ £473.13/ canoeist “
2/ Value of Rod Licence sales (average figure) £1.31M per annum
“ “ permit “ (club licence) £2.51M “ “
Minimum accrued to Economy of Wales £3.82M
Paid by Association/clubs per annum £2.14M Rentals
Total to Economy of Wales £5.94M
3/ Value of fishings / land owned £17.31M
(Note these figures are from information supplied by angling clubs/association across Wales.
The total would be considerably higher if I had been able to include every owner/association.)
Since, I have received from J Griffiths AM AC, a (NON) reply to a letter sent to him Sept 18th 2013. Part of the letter follows:
With regard to actions taken to promote voluntary access agreements, I, and my officials, have taken every opportunity to promote local agreements in meetings and at events with our stakeholders. I have also made monies available through the Splash Fund to facilitate local access agreements. Unfortunately very few groups have made use of the fund for this purpose and conflict has continued.
In our opinion this is not true.
SPLASH FUNDING – from public purse
I have done a freedom of information and found the following facts.
Funding awarded from 2008 – 2011. Total £1.19M
a/ Funding group – water borne activity - Total £960K
In the above figure there is a substantial sum for the purchase of
Road trailers AND BOATS!!!
b/ Wye & Usk foundation - Total £40K
c/ British Waterways - Total £64.5K
d/ Brecon Beacons National Park - Total £111K
e/ Angling Fed Welsh Anglers etc - Total £14.25K
Also included in £960K above
f/ Neath canal improvements. £45K
g/ Torfaen boating lake. £74K
h/ Private company board walk. £10K
i/ Pembroke coast NP nature reserve. £ 7.5K
I am still waiting information for years 2012 -13
I sent the following questions to Associations / clubs
Would you please answer the following questions to which I could pass the answers to SACC and be available for answers / arguments with Green paper
Name of Association; (28 gave information)
I/ Have you applied for Splash Y / N
Majority stated NO. One stated Yes – REFUSED
2/ If No - Reason for non award Informed by personnel employed by Brecon Beacons National Park or Environment Agency Wales.
Even though access could mean, providing or upgrading footpaths or installation of styles.
The answer was in all cases “If not for canoe access, then, NO funding”.
(This is apparently not correct when the items b/ d/ e/ f/ h/ & i/ above are taken into account)
3/ If you have not applied – Reason for NOT applying
Informed - ONLY for Canoes.
Personal note on the monies granted;.
The bodies with the vastly larger membership and who tend to be self sustaining receive far less PUBLIC FUNDING than other water users, who incidentally pay NOTHING.
Please note that there are discrepancies between 2009 and 2012. The reason I should imagine is the fall in the economy. It is certainly noticeable in membership of Association. We the MTAA have seen a 300 membership reduction since 2008.
I can still not find what the criteria is for a successful application, when examining the list of Successful applicants in the paddling world I found the following; (Sample taken from a large list)
Application No 2225364 - Purchase equipment £10.07K
“ “ 2168423 - Form Canoe club £ 6.96K
“ “ 2439759 - Develop site £11.17K
“ “ 2478841 - Buy trailer £ 6.75K
“ “ 2300987 - Buy BOATS £ 3.65K
“ “ 2514977 - Members? £10.21K
“ “ 3036110 - Rhondda - London £15.72K
“ “ 2767707 - Sprint racing £ 11.23K
“ “ 2661602 - 5 year plan £ 11.84K
There follows the recommendations fro the Sustainability committee.
Item 2 States – Minister targets PILOT PROJECTS; I suppose the purchase of road trailers, boats and equipment could be construed as pilot projects!
Recommendation of Sustainability Committee June 2010 (Précis)
1/ That the minister for environment promote setting up of VA agreements
2/ That the minister targets splash funding for pilot projects.
3/ That agreements be sought under Glastir scheme.
4/ All agreements be monitored and where covered by an agreement at regular intervals, especially popular area where potential conflicts could arise.
5/ Legislation introduced to identify a lead body to identify where appropriate areas and help negotiate agreements, include power to finance associated works.
6/ That legislation be placed on the lead body if no agreements can be reached.
7/ In order to guarantee compliance with EU convention on human rights there should be a right to object and be heard at an enquiry. Provision for compensation for loss due to compulsory interference with property - including fishing rights.
8/ Recognise - NO power to legislate at present, but powers will be sought.
9/ That organisations who make a profit out of water related recreation should pay to be licensed and craft clearly marked.
10/ That a licensing system for craft (unpowered) should be introduced.
11/ The minister commence the drafting and consultation process on a National code of conduct for the areas where access is to be granted.
12/ That any code of conduct should make explicit the rights and responsibilities of users and access owners and should be promoted and advertised by all by all organisations involved such as WG, CCW, EA Wales, Sports Council, Visit Wales.
Recommendations - Sustainability Committee 16/6/2010 taken from embargoed copy
98 (précis) Will not apply to ALL inland waters.
99 (précis) We recognise that not ALL stretches of inland water in Wales are suitable for water based recreation
I Remain
Yours Faithfully
W G Davies (Gary)
