Re: [SLN] Digest for swiftslocalnetwork@googlegroups.com - 2 updates in 1 topic

[Banstead Swifts]

Dear Catherine

Here in Reigate and Banstead Council Area all the housing stock was passed over to Raven Housing Trust. This is likely the case for the majority of what many would know as  'Council or local authority houses'. Housing Associations or Housing Trusts are now the big landlords. Sorry if you already know all that!

There was no policy with Raven HT in regard of providing homes for swifts or any red listed birds such as sparrows that roost all year round here. Their roosts were mortaored up one autumn, likely with them inside. 

Unfortunately surveys of properties prior to work on soffits was, either zero or lacking. So much so that whole swift colonies have been lost in places. A Police wildlife officer was furious on bout another site that also likely had bats, but despite his initial intervention it went nowhere. 

We bothered Raven HT for 4 years to put boxes up in one swift colony and they finally did so in 2023, but only after blocking anotherswift nest and others in 2022. It is heartbreaking. 

A lot of the old council builds in the borough were 1950s with open eaves and I was told they were full of swifts and swallows until soffits were fitted. We have one brick work nest left here on our site. 

Generally there appears to be a complete lack of awareness of the Wildlife Act and property management and upgrade with the housing trust who is responsible for 3000+ properties. I had to highlight their responsibilities but my contact has moved on and I suspect I need to start over. So a long story, but key points:

No policy

Unlikely to acknowledge swifts presence let alone the wildlife act.

Retrofitting for carbon zero and blocking swift and other red list bird nests off in the process.

Sorry it's not more positive.

Kindest

Annie & Barry

On Sat, 15 Jun 2024, 20:56 , <swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

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• Roof and soffit/fascia work on local authority owned housing - providing substitute nest sites for swifts etc - 2 Updates

Roof and soffit/fascia work on local authority owned housing - providing substitute nest sites for swifts etc

Catharine Gale <crg...@gmail.com>: Jun 15 11:49AM +0100 Does anyone know whether their local council has a policy of providing substitute nest sites for swifts when they re-roof or replace soffits/fascias on their housing stock? This could take the form of an external swift box, a soffit box or holes cut in the soffit or fascias.   Winchester City Council offers tenants a swift box when they do such renovation work to their homes, but tenants can decline this and many do.   Southampton City Council are currently updating their Biodiversity Action Plan and one of their ecologists has been discussing with me how best to ensure swifts can still nest on council-owned housing once the roof/soffits/fascias have been renovated. It would be useful to know whether there are other local authorities who have a policy as regards this.   best wishes   Catharine Gale Hampshire Swifts   -

Andy Bullen <andy.b...@gmail.com>: Jun 15 01:07PM +0100 Hi Catherine   The Borough Council of Kings Lynn and West Norfolk (BCKLWN) doesn’t have such a policy in place   Details of any examples, such as this initiative, by other Councils which can be shared with Councillors, Council Officers, Cabinet Members can only help using the “you’re not alone”, “it’s being done by other Councils”, “why aren’t you doing this?” approach.   Often, and BCKLWN are an example, local Government hold the largest housing stock and are often the largest property developer in a particular area/region. As they are often also the Planning Authority they should be easy to persuade to adopt such policies.   I would welcome details of this and other initiatives to send to our Council   Thanks   Andy SOSSSH

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[Graham Cowley]

Shropshire social housing is owned by Connexus. After a bit of badgering

they put up a load of boxes following renovation work. None occupied (considerable decline in swifts in my patch - Church Stretton) but the company was also responsive to a plea to put up artificial cups for house martins. Ask, put a good case forward, but really it needs to be integrated into the building to provide the longest term solution. Otherwise we are just doing a fix for OUR lifetime. 

Mike is doing sterling work notifying us of county Local Plans. See if you have a Local Nature Recovery Strategy for your county too and if so, get involved!

Julie Cowley