Managing Recreational Activities - : A Guide for Local Authorities LGA Coastal SIG Meeting 17 February 2004 Presented by Jonathan McCue Principal Coastal.

Managing Recreational Activities - : A Guide for Local Authorities

LGA Coastal SIG Meeting 17 February 2004

Presented by Jonathan McCuePrincipal Coastal Consultant

(Co – authors Terry Oakes and Tim Badman)

Purpose of the Project

Prepare a guide for English Local Authorities on existing coastal byelaw powers.

Build on the review of Inter-Departmental Working Party (October 1998),

Implement Working Party recommendations

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

The Problem

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

Such a variety of recreational activities take place in the coastal zone

These different forms of recreational activity use different areas of the coastal zone,

These take place at different times of the day, week and year and they have different levels of risk.

Consequently, they need different controls.

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

What do you believe is the best approach for managing activities in coastal waters?

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

Education and raising awareness

Information provision

Partnerships

Voluntary regulation

Byelaw enforcement

Regulations backed up with education

ConsultationMaintain a 'zero tolerance' policy

Those activities that prove

the most difficult to regulate include:

PWCs. Kite surfing. Land yachting. Cycling and skateboarding. Drinking on beach BBQs. Dog walking. Bait digging. Shellfish collection.

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

The Methodology

and Findings

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

Project Tasks

Consultation - 483 Questionnaires dispatched.

Use of case studies to demonstrate problems/good practice.

Workshop event involving key stakeholders.

Review current enforcement, good practice and other aspects.

Review existing model text. Investigate compilation of a

nationally consistent approach. Production of Issue Activity

Sheets.

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

Type of activity e.g. Surfing

Issues associated with activity.  

Under which byelaw power(s) is this activity managed?  Where has management of this activity through byelaws been

successful and why? 

Where has such management been unsuccessful and why?  

Is a byelaw the best management approach (alternative legislation/voluntary initiative)?

Are there any issues associated with implementing enforcement?  

What changes could be made to improve enforcement procedures?  

Can this activity be managed through voluntary initiatives? Give example.

How viable is a voluntary approach to managing this activity?  

What methods are used to communicate these byelaws to the public for this activity (e.g. signage)?

What are the indicators required to determine the need for byelaws?  

Highlight any other key points of note  

Issue/Activity Analysis

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

Over 60% of consultees have used byelaws to manage coastal activities The most commonly used byelaws :

- Harbours, Docks and Piers Clauses Act (1847),

- Public Health Act (1961) section 76

- Public Health Acts Amendment Act (1907) Sect 82-83. These three byelaws account for approximately 70% of all byelaws in operation

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

Using Byelaws

Consultees believe that they would use byelaws more if : they were implemented more quickly . there were higher penalties. courts took offences more seriously and there were more resources to enforce them.

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

Using Byelaws

Model Texts for Byelaws - Findings

Only 50% of respondents have used the Government model texts The most commonly used texts are those for Seaside Pleasure Boats, Pleasure Boats and Vessels, The Seashore and Pleasure Grounds, Public Walks and Open spaces Very few consultees knew what changes to make to the model texts Consultees want to see model texts for PWCs, kite surfing and land yachting.

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

Voluntary Initiatives: Results

Over 40% recognised problems with developing voluntary initiatives

27% had problems during implementation

Approx. 90% of those involved in such initiatives believed in the benefits of the schemes.

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

How can byelaws be monitored?

Police Water and land based patrol officers

Lifeguards Council inspections

Public complaints Harbour Master

Dog wardens Assistance from sports clubs

Landowners Seasonal seafront wardens

Port security CCTV Cameras

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

Enforcement

Enforcing Byelaws: Findings

Various reasons for weak enforcement include : Lack of resources for enforcement time taken to implement byelaws, cost of prosecutions, the feeling that the police did not take breaches seriously enough, a lack of public awareness, and the time required to adapt or update

byelaws as situations changed.

Common breaches include: dog fouling on beaches, breaking of speed limits and use of PWC outside

of designated areas. Wardens and patrols are most commonly used to enforce byelaws. Breaches often due to a lack of awareness and understanding.

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

Signage

signage and public information needs to be providing a consistent message at a national level.

The Guide

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

Overview of the Guide

• The Guide offers practical guidance to help develop appropriate forms of management of the coast as a public asset.

• It identifies many coastal recreation activities, as a broad spectrum of activities currently take place at the coast (eg: dog walking and beach games to the more modern activities of kite surfing and para-karting).

• The Guide reviews current practice for voluntary and statutory recreational management and from this, identifies good practice examples.

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

Overview of the Guide

• The Guide is designed to help clarify the current management framework, provide ideas and advice on managing recreational activities in coastal areas.• The Guide identifies responsibilities for management (eg: MLA’s; MCA) • Guide will be of use for HAs and other regulatory bodies responsible for promoting, managing and participating in recreational activities at the coast.

• Encouraging MLAs to be proactive is a key message in this Guide.

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

Overview of the Guide

Key good practice principles are :

• Act with full understanding of the issues.• Act when needed and ensure action is proportionate to the issue.• Work positively with users using effective means of consultation and communication.• Think carefully about scheme design in partnership with users and ALL regulators.• Use a variety of measures.

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

Designing a

Management Scheme

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

Model Texts for Byelaws - Findings

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

The Way Forward

Managing Recreational Activities – A Best Practice Guide for Maritime Local Authorities

A Published Guide is to be formally produced by Defra for Maritime Local Authorities by April 2004.

Key aspects of this work are being considered in the ICZM Stocktake exercise for the UK.

Should separate Beach Safety Seminars (risks and liabilities etc) be arranged to “kick start” this process?? (eg: work of Penwith DC – Sept 2003)

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