Heath & Safety Concerns

Many of our supporters have real safety concerns about the plans to introduce grazing. We assumed that as part of the feasibilty study the council H&S department would investigate and make a decision, it seems this will only happen once they decide to go ahead with their plans!


Head of Health & Safety Department
Conwy County Borough Council
Bodlondeb
Conwy
LL32 8DU

Dear Sir/Madam,

Freedom of Information Request - Bryn Euryn Local Nature Reserve

Further to the proposals by the Countryside Department to change public open space into grazing land; this is a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

As you may be aware there have been a number of recent deaths associated with dog walkers using land grazed by livestock, see enclosed news articles. As the council intends to introduce livestock into an area heavily used by dog walkers, children and families please send me the following information: -

· Details of risk assessments that have been undertaken to determine if the risk to the public is acceptable. If such risk assessments have not already been undertaken please forward when they have been.
· Details of any resultant operational codes of practice and method statements to safeguard the public, especially children who currently play on the proposed grazing area.
· Detail of traffic risk assessments, the council intend the livestock to be moved to a from the public open space several times a year, the steep access track is narrow, unfenced and has large drops to the side. Being little used it currently has a lot of pedestrian use, practically by children, families with push chairs and mobility scooters. I trust you will agree it is vital that there are suitable and sufficient safe systems of work in place for the large vehicles which will be use to transport livestock.
· The council are also considering bring water for the livestock to site using bowsers, presumably these will heavy trailers to be towed up the steep track on a regular basis and therefore deserve their own specific risk assessment?

I would like the above information to be provided to me in electronic format if available otherwise paper

I understand that under the act, I should be entitled to a response within 20 working days of your receipt of this email. I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing/email that you have received this request.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

The council response: -

I am in receipt of your letter dated 29 July 2009 in respect of a Freedom of Information
request — Bryn Euryn Local Nature Reserve.

I have made enquiries with our Countryside Services Manager Tom Gravett and the
Project Officer Alun Jones who is responsible for this area with regard to the information
that you require.

I am reliably informed that notwithstanding the importance of the four points you raise
(existence of risk assessments) the status of the project is very much at an early stage.

Should the project be considered further, then a robust risk assessment will be
undertaken to identify the prevailing hazards. I thank you for taking the trouble to identify
the obvious ones.

Your request will be kept on file and in the event that the project materialises, then a full
Risk Assessment and associated Codes of Practice will be forwarded to you.

Thank you again for drawing our attention to the matter.

Yours Sincerely,