Sefton CCS

CLOSURE OF KITEZONE AT AINSDALE-ON-SEA The KITE ZONE at Ainsdale-on-Sea will be closed for 1 week from Wed 12th August until Wed 19th August 2009. This means there will be NO KITING activity allowed on these dates. Please refer to Rule 10. of the Kite Zone Rules and Conditions.(Ver.Jan09) For further information please contact Sefton MBC on 0151 934 2967 or email coast.countryside@leisure.sefton.gov.uk

CLOSURE OF KITE ZONE AT AINSDALE-ON-SEA The KITE ZONE at Ainsdale-on-Sea will be closed for 1 week from Wed 12th August until Wed 19th August 2009. This means there will be NO KITING activity allowed on these dates. Please refer to Rule 10. of the Kite Zone Rules and Conditions. For further information please contact Sefton MBC on 0151 934 2967 or email coast.countryside@leisure.sefton.gov.uk

I take you will want a hot drink. Dave Mc

Mr Pennington, it is not our intention to enter into discussions with you, but on this occasion I feel the need to once again put the record straight. The Kitesurfing rules were changed to reflect the winter setting up area, along with a name change and the date of course; they are basically the same rules that have been in place for some time. When asked to make this minor change it was cross referenced with the traction regulations and someone identified that the rule relating to protective head gear was different. Traction requires head gear - water strongly advises it. It was changed so that both were the same, an innocent mistake by a member of staff thinking they were fixing something. Please stop trying to make more of it, the club were involved in the original devising of the rules. Ainsdale is currently operating just below the desired level for traction at 95 permits and Kitesurfing at around 150. Sefton Council has only ever rescinded two traction permits since 2004 (when permits were introduced), both belonging to the same person - yourself. It has never prohibited a kitesurfer from using the beach. Sefton Council welcomes all, as long as they have a permit and insurance, stay in the zone and follow the simple rules that, in respect of traction usage, you helped develop in 2003/04. We allow freestyle except for aerial freestyle in respect of buggying. Judging by the comments myself and colleagues receive on a regular basis, there is a good many peolpe who really do enjoy Ainsdale and probably do not read these forums, so have no idea what is being said about their beach. Those of you who do read the forums - come and see for yourself. Mr Pennington, it is your own fault that you cannot enjoy Kiting on 'Sefton's Natural Coast'. You were asked to submit an appeal recently, but you declined the offer!!

Thanks for that Chris, you are correct. The wording should not have changed from that agreed some time ago and would read "the use of protective head gear is strongly advised". This wording will be retained. Those of you that offered contsructive comments on this potential rule - thank you - it has been useful to see that there are some that prefer to use head gear and some that do not. I shall now return to my holiday. Dave Mc

Contact Gill at the Coast and Countryside Office and arrange to come in on a Wed, Thurs,fri morning or Sunday 10 - 16.00hrs. Have your insurance with you. 0151 934 2967 coast.countryside@leisure.sefton.gov.uk Sefton Coast and Countryside Service

We are currently building the datbase for the Kitesurfing permit system and it is hoped that all current AKSC club members will receive one in the post or via e-mail in the next few weeks. This will include the regs and zones. Anyone not a member of the AKSC after a date to be agreed, will have to attend the Coast and Countryside Service office at Ainsdale with a relevant insurance policy to obtain permit, regs and map - will keep you informed. All traction permit holders will also receive copies of regs and maps in the next few weeks. This means that all permitted users will know the regs/zones - including newbies as you put it.

No kite activities are allowed at any of the sites mentioned. The area at Formby is especially important for conservation. Please obtain the necessary insurance permits for Ainsdale. Sefton Coast and Countryside Service

Best to telephone on a Wed, Thurs or Fri morning during the winter - should be easier next year when the Kite Shop opens.

Best to call on a Wednesday, Thursday or Fri morning to arrange your permit - especially during the winter. Should be easier when the Kite Shop opens next year. Sefton Coast and Countryside

Hello Mark As it stands now - based on your info - you will not require a permit from the Council as you will be a member of AKSC. When the permit does come in for kitesurfing the requirement to be a member of the club will be removed and then you can use any relevant insurance with the correct cover. So in the future it will be a permit only beach (no forced club membership)and there may be ten clubs or none; it won't matter. We are going to try and make it as easy as possible for you all to use the beach - just keep to the agreed rules. Best wishes, Dave Mc

Hello Sad Act, To Kitebuggy and Landboard you currently require a permit and insurance, but do not have to be a member of any club. To kitesurf at the moment you have to be a member of the Kitesurf Club and hold BKSA insurance, but we are just setting up the admin to implement a permit system for Kitesurfing. In the future all disciplines will require a permit and relevant insurance. Once this is up and running you will only require one permit and an 'insurance policy' to use Ainsdale for the activities you mention above and not have to be a member of any of the clubs. From next year we will implement a day, week and annual permit for all activities. For further enquiries please contact coast.countryside@leisure.sefton.gov.uk Thanks, SCCS

Hello Colin, It looks like it's nearly there - you have picked up on the need to have seperate winter and summer signs as the one we have been developing with Andrew and Chris may be to complicated to understand in respect of the zones.

Hello folks, I have been reading this thread with interest. You are missing the main issue - public safety and third parties - the other users of the beach. The key reasons for the regulations and the zones is to assist in managing safety and to protect the nature conservation interests of the SSSI, SAC, SPA, RAMSAR Site (bit of googling required). The public would hopefully become used to the zoning of the beach and by default, in the future, be aware of where it is safe to walk on the tideline, in the 'goons' or on the outer banks. They should have an area of beach where they can enjoy all the good things about Ainsdale that you lot appreciate so much and do their stuff safe in the knowledge that thay do not have to watch out for extreme kite enthusiasts of any discipline. It's called reducing the risk. So the winter zone is up to the car park posts, north of this is a general public multi-use area (itself with its management issues not related to kitesurfing) and this then merges with one of the most important wading bird areas in the country. In winter the sports kiters have to share with you all as we do not want any kite activity north of the winter zone - but I accept this will need further discussion and planning. We can continue the positive relationship enjoyed to date and agree some of the recommendations that Andrew brings to the table from the Club. Hope this helps. Nice to meet some of you on Saturday - hope we can sort signs etc soon. Best wishes, Dave Mc

Hello folks, I have been reading this thread with interest. You are missing the main issue - public safety and third parties - the other users of the beach. The key reasons for the regulations and the zones is to assist in managing safety and to protect the nature conservation interests of the SSSI, SAC, SPA, RAMSAR Site (bit of googling required). The public would hopefully become used to the zoning of the beach and by default, in the future, be aware of where it is safe to walk on the tideline, in the 'goons' or on the outer banks. They should have an area of beach where they can enjoy all the good things about Ainsdale that you lot appreciate so much and do their stuff safe in the knowledge that thay do not have to watch out for extreme kite enthusiasts of any discipline. It's called reducing the risk. So the winter zone is up to the car park posts, north of this is a general public multi-use area (itself with its management issues not related to kitesurfing) and this then merges with one of the most important wading bird areas in the country. In winter the sports kiters have to share with you all as we do not want any kite activity north of the winter zone - but I accept this will need further discussion and planning. We can continue the positive relationship enjoyed to date and agree some of the recommendations that Andrew brings to the table from the Club. Hope this helps. Nice to meet some of you on Saturday - hope we can sort signs etc soon. Best wishes, Dave Mc

It has recently been reported that some people have been aerial freestyling at Ainsdale. This is contrary to the regulations. All buggiers are aware of the rules and should also be aware that persistant contravention of the rules of the beach will result in their permit being rescinded. We are disappointed that one or two users continue to flaunt the rules of the beach established to ensure kite traction activities can continue safely at Ainsdale.

It's broken

Sefton Council is not aware of any kite demo at the weekend - permission is required for this type of activity.

Replacing Ainsdale Winds as the weather station is broken at the moment and taking the chance to change the name to one that reflects the service. Something that was discussed at a users meeting a week or so ago. It may not always be the same person posting, so do not expect involvement in some of the constructive and most positive debates that take place on the Ainsdale thread. Any questions for the Sefton Coast and Countryside Service should be to: coast.countryside@leisure.sefton.gov.uk DMc

John's about got it about right there.No seriously, we will use this username for communicating - just don't expect us to get involved in big debates about what kites are ok to use and race officials decisions etc.The ongoing discussion about LEI's started after an AOSPKC Committee Member expressed concerns that someone was using one in the traction zone.

Latest update: Kite-Zone is open to all users, but it is very important that Kite Surfers remain in the zone. I would advise that you make every attempt to stop short of the northern limit of the zone and please do not go south of the southern buggy limit or out to sea any distance. There is a no fly zone operating from the Pier and the limit is just to the north of the entrance to Ainsdale beach. I would be grateful in you kept a watch on static flyers for us as we will all be busy at the air show. Many thanks, Sefton Coast and Countryside