A period of up to 15 minutes is available to deal with questions relating to the business of the Harbour Board from the public.
Details of questions should be notified to Democratic Services via democratic.services@exeter.gov.uk by 10.00am at least three working days prior to the meeting. For this meeting any questions must be submitted by 10.00am on Monday 8 December 2025.
Minutes:
The Chair invited David Clarke to ask his question:
Will the work on Trew Weir include clearance of the trees and bushes growing in the adjacent Mill Pond, including the restoration of the barriers which previously prevented large logs entering the Mill Pond?
The Chair responded in the following terms:
As part of the works, the Bypass channel will be fully de-vegetated in early 2026, to deter birds from establishing nests in that area for the period covering the works.? This is largely to prevent later disturbance of nests during the works.
If the Bypass Channel is retained in its current form then we do anticipate some form of barrier being installed near the entrance to prevent large floating debris entering the channel.
In a supplementary question Mr Clarke advised that this would not be possible without dredging. Councillor Williams noted this comment.
The Chair invited Stephanie Ward to ask the following question:
During the restoration of Trews Weir could the trees growing in the river and undermining the riverside footpaths between the Port Royal and the weir be removed and the accumulated silt bed they are growing in also be removed to prevent regrowth?
The Chair responded in the following terms:
There are no plans to remove the silt and riparian vegetation on the eastern bank of the river, nor the trees growing in this bank, as part of the Trews Weir work.?
The silt bank and self-set trees provide valuable habitat not found elsewhere within this reach of the River Exe and would not be removed without a strong operational need to do so.? These habitats are widely used by a range of birds, mammals, amphibians, fish and invertebrates for feeding, shelter, and nesting.? They are not currently creating any operational issues for ECC. Devon County Council have not reported issues or undermining concerns with regard to the public highway, ?nor have any significant issues been raised by river users or other statutory bodies, so there is no justification for its removal.?
Some areas of riverside vegetation on the silt bank nearest to the weir may be cut back in early 2026, prior to the works starting, to discourage birds establishing nests close to the works area which would likely be disturbed during the main works phase.? This is good practice, as an established nest being disturbed has a much higher failure rate than the same birds being diverted to alternative nesting sites early in the year
In a supplementary question Ms Ward asked why it had been decided that these trees were no longer undermining the path? The Chair advised that this questions would be answered outside of the meeting.
The Chair invited David Thompson to ask the following question:
Local residents would prefer the lagoon to remain and be dredged. It is a visual amenity and wildlife haven. If the council decides to infill, please confirm a railing will be installed along the northern edge protecting the privacy of the ground of The Mills, Pitts Court and Weirside Place.
The Chair responded in the following terms:
A public consultation exercise will be held in January 2026, in which residents will be asked to provide their views on the Trews Weir scheme, including works to modify the Bypass Channel.
If the recommendation is to infill the Bypass Channel, we can confirm that a railing could be installed along the northern edge of the channel to protect the privacy of The Mills, Pitts Court and Weirside Place, and we would also engage with local residents about possible additional privacy screening such as planting
The Chair invited Judith Read to ask her presentation but was advised that she was unable to attend. David Clark asked the question in her place:
I understand that there may have been some discussion re future of Trews Weir Mill Pond as part of the Trews Weir Upgrade.
I should like to know if this matter is under discussion and what options are being considered.
The Chair responded in the following terms:
Our designers are considering options to make the bypass channel outlet significantly less attractive as a route for migrating fish. Migrating fish follow fast, aerated water and at Trews Weir are often drawn to the bypass channel’s outfall instead of the fish pass, where they repeatedly fail to jump. Failed jumps can injure fish and make them vulnerable to disease, while repeated attempts drain their energy reserves. The outcome is potentially they die by predation or disease, or migration is delayed reducing successful spawning.
The upgrade works aims to improve migratory fish passage over the weir and reduce the Bypass channel outlet as an attraction flow, especially during dry-weather conditions.?
Designers are exploring several ways to make the bypass channel less attractive to fish,? the leading option are:?