Please note that there is a total time limit of 30 minutes for this item – as set out in the Constitution, Chapter 2, paragraph 14.11
The following motion has been proposed by Cllr C Cushing, seconded by Cllr N Dixon:
Use of Flying Rings on Beaches
This Council is extremely concerned over the harmful impact of flying rings made of plastic, and other materials, have on our marine wildlife and the environment. They present a severe risk to seal pups when they are inadvertently left or lost on beaches as they can become trapped around their necks and in time cause strangulation as they grow if they are not caught, and the ring removed. There have been several instances of this on North Norfolk beaches in recent years.
Being mostly made of plastic they are a source of waste and harmful to our environment.
This Council has signed up to the “Safer Seals” campaign which is supported by Friends of Horsey Seals which highlights what beach visitors can do to safeguard seals.
We therefore propose the following:
Council RESOLVES to:
1. Prohibit the use of flying rings on the district’s beaches and adjoining NNDC car parks for which the council is responsible, and proactively discourage their use on the privately owned beaches where they can do harm to wildlife and the environment.
2. The Council’s website is updated to make the public and retailers aware of this policy and the issue.
3. Ask the NNDC Environmental team as to how this can be best enforced and monitored.
Minutes:
The Chairman invited the proposer of the motion, Cllr C Cushing, to introduce it. He began by saying that it was a non-partisan issue and he hoped all members would support it. He said that many members would have seen images of plastic rings caught around seals’ necks, causing deep wounds and extensive suffering. He said that North Norfolk was fortunate to have a number of seal populations and the Council was already signed up to the ‘Safer Seals’ campaign, promoted by the Friends of Horsey Seals, which highlighted how beach visitors could safeguard seals.
Cllr Cushing went onto say that in November 2022, Kings Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council had passed a motion to ban flying rings from their beaches, adding that if NNDC followed suit, then the majority of Norfolk’s coastline would be protected. He said that he was aware that the legislation ‘lagged behind’ what was being proposed but the main aim was to protect the seals and if notices were erected along the coast, educating the public, then it would have a large impact on reducing the use of flying rings. He said that he would welcome any attempts by the Council to ensure that the legal enforcement regime was strengthened.
The seconder of the motion, Cllr E Vardy, reserved his right to speak.
The Chairman informed members that an amendment had been submitted by the Leader, Cllr T Adams. She invited Cllr Adams to introduce it. He began by confirming that he had shared it with the Group Leaders in advance of the meeting. He acknowledged that himself and Cllr Cushing both wanted to achieve a ban on the use of flying rings on beaches in the District, but it must be acknowledged that there was no legal framework to enforce it at the present time. He explained that he had been doing work on this for some time. It was a big issue and it affected the public’s perception of the District’s beaches. Unfortunately, the current enforcement framework was aimed at protecting people not animals and it was just not possible to prohibit or ban the use of flying rings. He said that Kings Lynn & West Norfolk BC had good intentions when they passed their motion but it was just an advisory ban and could not be enforced. He said that he was therefore putting forward the following amendment:
Full Council RESOLVES to:
· Note the good work already undertaken by our Leisure and Localities Team in conjunction with the Friends of Horsey Seals to raise awareness of these issues and discourage the use of these items on our beaches, and ask for this awareness campaign to continue if possible, and if desired by our partners at Friends of Horsey Seals and RSPCA East Winch, until such time that a ban is possible.
· The Leader meets and discusses the issues with North Norfolk's MPs in conjunction with the Friends of Horsey Seals and the RSPCA, if they wish to join us, to press for the need for additional powers for local government to ban the ring frisbees on our beaches.
· Continue engagement with the Friends of Horsey Seals and the RSPCA East Winch to understand the scale of issues in North Norfolk.
· Continue to monitor the usage of rings using our Foreshore Officers and consider their ability to engage with beach visitors on this issue as and when time allows them to do so.
· Discuss with the RNLI, the providers of our beach lifeguard provision, their ability to monitor usage of rings during their work on our beaches, alongside their other monitoring activities which already includes the observation of numbers visiting our beaches.
· Engage with retailers in North Norfolk about the issues with ring frisbees .
· Post further general communication messages from the spring onwards across social media platforms.
· Consider the benefits of advisory signage on our beaches and Promenades asking that the rings are not used.
Cllr N Lloyd seconded the amendment.
The Chairman asked Cllr Cushing if he was prepared to accept the amendment. He confirmed that he was, as the intention was to put the protection and safety of seals first.
The Chairman confirmed that the amendment would now become part of the substantive motion. She then opened the debate.
Cllr N Lloyd said that he welcomed support from across the groups on working together on addressing this issue. The amendment added strength to the motion and additional actions. He thanked Cllr Cushing for bringing it forward and hoped that it would highlight the issue with the public.
Cllr H Blathwayt reiterated that it required everyone’s support. He said that he had previously asked a national retailer to remove plastic rings from their shelves but they had refused. It was also important to remember that any rings being discarded further upstream would eventually find their way into the sea and injure seals. He concluded by saying that he absolutely supported the motion.
Cllr J Rest asked why it took a Notice of Motion from an opposition group to bring this forward if it was considered to be of such importance to the Administration.
Cllr A Fitch-Tillett, Portfolio Holder for the Coast, said that she was delighted that the motion had come forward. She said that she had been tackling this serious issue since she first saw a seal with a ring around its neck. She suggested that local retailers could be provided with stickers stating that they were a seal friendly shop. Cllr Fitch-Tillett concluded by saying that this motion fitted in very well with the ‘Motion for the Ocean’ which had been supported last year.
Cllr S Penfold said he hoped that all members would support the motion and suggested that the Council worked with other coastal authorities on lobbying Government to strengthen the legal framework.
Cllr N Housden said that he would abstain. Although he was very sympathetic to the aims of the motion but believed that he was involved with a lot of wildlife charities and most of these campaigns were aimed at single species conservation, whereas the focus should be on wider species conservation. Dealing with an issue such as this was just the tip of the iceberg. The real challenge was that far more was needed to protect wider bio-diversity. He was fully supportive of what was being proposed but it did not address the challenges faced by wider bio-diversity.
Cllr Dr V Holliday said that there could be stronger signage. In many places, dogs were not allowed to protect birds and that worked very well, so there was more that could be done and if Kings Lynn & West Norfolk BC felt it could be achieved then surely NNDC could take the same approach.
The Chairman then invited Cllr E Vardy, seconder of the motion to speak. He said that every journey began with a single step. The beaches belonged to the seals and other wildlife, not people and the public encroached on their area and we must respect them. He applauded the cross-party support for the motion and said that he hoped it would be supported. He concluded by saying that it would be good for retailers to be monitored to see if there was a change in approach to selling flying rings.
Cllr C Cushing finished the debate by thanking all members for their excellent remarks in support of the motion. He supported Cllr Dr Holliday’s suggestion for increased signage as most people would comply, regardless of whether it was legally binding.
The Chairman thanked everyone for their input.
It was proposed by Cllr C Cushing, seconded by Cllr E Vardy and
RESOLVED
1. To note the good work already undertaken by our Leisure and Localities Team in conjunction with the Friends of Horsey Seals to raise awareness of these issues and discourage the use of these items on our beaches, and ask for this awareness campaign to continue if possible, and if desired by our partners at Friends of Horsey Seals and RSPCA East Winch, until such time that a ban is possible.
2. That the Leader meets and discusses the issues with North Norfolk's MPs in conjunction with the Friends of Horsey Seals and the RSPCA, if they wish to join us, to press for the need for additional powers for local government to ban the ring frisbees on our beaches.
3. To continue engagement with the Friends of Horsey Seals and the RSPCA East Winch to understand the scale of issues in North Norfolk.
4. To continue to monitor the usage of rings using our Foreshore Officers and consider their ability to engage with beach visitors on this issue as and when time allows them to do so.
5. To discuss with the RNLI, the providers of our beach lifeguard provision, their ability to monitor usage of rings during their work on our beaches, alongside their other monitoring activities which already includes the observation of numbers visiting our beaches.
6. To engage with retailers in North Norfolk about the issues with ring frisbees .
7. To post further general communication messages from the spring onwards across social media platforms.
8. That the Council’s website is updated to make the public and retailers aware of the issue.
9. To consider the benefits of advisory signage on our beaches and Promenades asking that the rings are not used.
One member abstained.