Minutes of meetings held previously are now here on the Archive page
Draft Minutes of meeting held of the Mendip Hills AONB Partnership Committee
Held at Ubley Village Hall on Thursday, 18th March 2010
Present:
Partnership Committee
Steve Pilkington Chairman
Cllr Shirley Steel Bath and NE Somerset Councillor
Cllr Anne Harley North Somerset Councillor
Cllr David Joslin Sedgemoor District Councillor
Sue Murtagh Bath and NE Somerset Council Officer
David Clark Mendip District Council Officer
Mark MacGregor North Somerset Council Officer
Julie Cooper Sedgemoor District Council Officer
Barry James Somerset County Council Officer
Don Kinsey Banwell Parish Council
Gill Davies Cheddar Parish Council
Richard Parker Compton Bishop Parish Council
Wesley Hallam Ubley Parish Council
Geoff Luckett Winscombe and Sanford Parish Council
Steve Marston Natural England
Janice Gardiner Avon Wildlife Trust
James Small NFU
Georgie Bigg CPRE
Paul Harley Mendip Society
AONB Staff
Sarah Jackson Manager
Norma Newby Support Officer
Andy Mallender Project Officer
SCC Support
Mary Lou Denny
Others
Graham Price Council of Southern Caving Clubs, Nigel Taylor, Ian Burton Active Mendip, Gwyn Thomas
1. Apologies:
Cllr Dawn Hill (Somerset County Council), Cllr Gloria Cawood (Somerset County Council), Dick Gossling (Forestry Commission), Cllr Roy Wills (Mendip District Council) and Andrew Mayled (National Trust)
2. Minutes of the meeting held 19th November 2009:
Item 3.6 – Steve Marston (Natural England) wanted to clarify this item. He felt Geopark and extension of the AONB were both large projects on their own merit and therefore too large to be amalgamated.
Item 3.14 Graham Price had remembered that the Chairman had requested that those attending went away and discussed the Geopark idea with their organisations to see if they were supportive.
The minutes were then presented, approved and signed.
Matters arising:
3.15 – Sarah had produced follow up article for Mendip Times and all presentations from the Forum event had been uploaded to the AONB web site.
4.3 – Steve Pilkington wrote to SCC and received a prompt reply. He was thanked for his comments and these would be given due consideration.
3. Mendip Hills AONB Partnership Review – Presentation by David Haffey, Countrywise Consultants Limited
The Chairman opened the presentation by asking the committee for general comments on the final report which all had been circulated. Overall the consensus was the report was excellent and covered all the issues. However, there were some that would need modification.
The Chairman proposed that since there had been extensive consultation, a workshop at Coombe Lodge to discuss the emerging findings and this final report that the meeting move to considering the recommendations in the report in blocks. There were 9 blocks in all which could be considered as 6 groups. David Haffey would briefly introduce each section and respond to questions from members.He then asked if anyone had concerns about this approach, none were given.
There was concern that the original intention to create a small strategic Partnership committee of about 12 was in danger of not being realised if all the decisions in this block were agreed. Accordingly further action in respect of the following recommendations was agreed as an attempt to achieve the original aspiration.
PC 12 : Remitted to the next Partnership meeting. The Chairman asked James Small (NFU) to speak to the Countryside Landowners with a view to agreeing a joint representative on the committee. James is to report back to SJ prior to the next meeting
Georgie Bigg (CPRE) asked for CPRE to be represented by the Mendip Society.
PC 16 :Remitted to the next Partnership meeting. Avon & Somerset Community Councils will be invited to make their case to become a member of the partnership committee.
Re. PC17: Remitted to the next Partnership meeting. Active Mendip will be invited to make the case for membership of the Partnership committee as the local business representative. Graham Price raised concern that the non commercial user groups had an important voice which was not represented by the commercial interests within Active Mendip.
Block 4 – Other Aspects of its Structure and Functioning Recommendations.
PC19-PC22 recommendations accepted.
PC 19 Steve Marston (Natural England) proposed 4 meetings a year to enable an engaged partnership to perform the responsibilities envisaged. The recommendation for 3 meetings was adopted for a trial period.
Mark MacGregor raised some alternative options for the annual and parish forums. He felt that part should be constituted in addition to the Partnership meetings. Members were generally unsighted on this as these proposals which had not appeared in the Issues and Options paper nor had these been raised during the Coombe Lodge forum consequently no decision was made.
Block 5 – Steering Group Recommendations:
RSG1-RSG7 – recommendations accepted.
Block 6 – Annual Forum Recommendations:
AF1–AF2, Working Group Recommendations, WG1-WG3.
AONB Staff Unit Recommendations.
SU1-SU4 – recommendations accepted.
The Chairman thanked David Haffey (Countrywise Consultants Ltd.) for his presentation and for a very positive report.
4. Chairman/Vice Chairman positions – Steve Pilkington reported he will be stepping down as Chairman after having served 4 years. Dawn Hill (Somerset County Council) has agreed to act as temporary Chairman at the next meeting.
Sarah Jackson thanked Steve for his hard work on behalf of the committee and presented him with a parting gift.
5. Mendip Hills AONB Partnership Delivery Plan 2009/10:
5.1 Paper A – Table A1 and Table A2 – AONB Unit Presentation
A presentation of the work undertaken by AONB was presented by Andy Mallender and Sarah Jackson. The presentation highlighted Blackmoor Reserve, AONB Young Rangers Scheme, AONB Volunteers, Planning, Promotion & Publicity and Partnership Events.
With reference to the planning summary presented Sarah reported that Jonathan Richards, AONB Planning Liaison Officer had circulated the new Natural England publication ‘ England’s Statutory landscape designations – a practical guide to your duty of regard’ to all the AONB parish councils and asked for each to let him know whether village design guidance and or parish plans had been produced and if they made reference to the AONB in them. Only 3 parishes had responded – Litton that has Village Design Guidance and refers to the AONB, Stowey Sutton that has neither and Cheddar that has a parish plan but makes no reference to the AONB.
This was followed by Sarah Jackson’s (AONB Manager) delivery of Paper A, as follows:
5.1.0 The outcomes from the 2009/10 Delivery Plan were shown on attached
Table A1. The presentation by Andy Mallender highlighted some of the projects undertaken by the AONB Unit.
5.1.1 Of the 76 actions, 57 have achieved been achieved. Ten have not been
achieved and 9 were partly achieved. The Mendip Hills AONB Unit led
on 37 actions and completed 30 of these.
5.1.2 The AONB Unit work has been achieved despite significant staff
changes and reduced staffing. Sarah Jackson acknowledged the work of
her team particularly their flexibility juggling additional duties alongside main duties.
5.1.3 The AONB Unit has administered the Sustainable Development Fund
with the SDF Panel ensuring that the grant funding (£65000) has been
allocated to 17 projects that have assisted delivery of the Management
Plan See Table A2.
Action: The Partnership are asked to submit details of their
work by email for the 2009/10 Annual Review by 23rd April 2010.
5.2 Other Partner Updates on items shown in Delivery Plan 2009-10
Janice Gardiner (Avon Wildlife Trust) reported:
· They have been contacting landowners re. Sampling of grass;
· Working with Natural England and Somerset Wildlife Trust;
· Planning wildlife identification schemes;
· Working with North Somerset Council on management of local sites.
Georgie Bigg (CPRE) reported as follows:
· The CPRE has a new Chairman
· Working on new recently funded landscape project resulting in new mapping information;
· New project – unlocking the landscape;
· CPRE has a campaign on litter;
· Dark skies – new work this year;
· Green belt survey – recently released
Sue Murtagh (BANES Council) reported as follows:
· Due to redundancies there is a lack of information;
· Feels there is a big hole within B&NES re. AONB publicity. Suggests this issue should be looked into in the future as local Bath papers do not feature Mendip Hills.
Paul Harley (Mendip Society) reported as follows:
· Walks and talks project
· Planning to meet up with Friends of Wye Valley for walks;
· Work progressing on Sladers Leigh site on Strawberry Line.
Mark Macgregor (North Somerset Council Officer)
· Involved with Strawberry Line project;
· Working with Avon Wildlife Trust;
· Rights of way project;
· Working with SCC public status on droves in Shipham area.
6. Mendip Hills AONB Delivery Plan 2010/11
6.1 AONB Unit proposal with allocation of staff and budget – Paper B – Table 1 and Partnership Agreement
Sarah Jackson (AONB Manager), having previously circulated Table B 1 to all committee members proceeded to discuss as follows:
6.1.0 The attached Table B1 shows the proposed work to be undertaken by
the AONB Unit in 2010-11. For each activity, staff time and budget is
allocated where applicable. The days shown against activities are the
maximum that can be given to ensure all essential activities are
covered to a satisfactory level. However Partners need to be aware
that if additional work is required against any of the activities less
hours will be spent on others. Unfortunately although it was intended
to leave some days unallocated it has not proved possible due to
current work commitments for 2010-11 combined with reduced
staffing. The proposed work plan will only be achieved if additional
admin support is acquired and no unexpected work is required.
6.1.1 Due to the uncertainty of the budget, the need to implement key
projects and no funding agreement beyond 2011 the RSG with the
AONB Manager have considered the vacant Development Officer post
and propose not recruiting in 2010-11. Once the 2010 –11 budget is
confirmed and if it still allows a budget to be allocated for the
Development Officer post the intention is to use this allocation to
pay for the development and implementation of the Black Down
project, admin support and other priorities identified in the AONB
work plan.
6.1.2 Due to reduced staffing, the AONB Unit will claim 10% of the funding
allocated to the SDF in 2010/11 for SDF administration (as entitled)
and will seek to acquire additional administrative support to assist
with SDF and AONB communication work either directly or support
the Support Officer. Without the People and Places officer there is
further reduced staffing to deal with queries received at the office.
6.1. 3 The AONB Unit work plan as part of the Partnership Delivery Plan 2010-11 was unanimously endorsed.
Action: Partners to submit their organisations commitments to the AONB Delivery Plan 2010-11 by 30th April 2010. These should be emailed to the AONB Unit.
7. A.O.B.
· Nigel Taylor suggested open days for AONB to attract the public. Sarah Jackson (AONB Manager) responded to say that this is an opportunity for partners to consider organising and could put such events on the AONB web site..
· James Small (NFU) asked if the AONB had a policy on energy usage on farms, e.g. alternative energy. Sarah Jackson (AONB Manager) replied, this was relative to site and a planning matter – where appropriate to the landscape. Sue Murtagh (B&NES) also responded, B&NES has had a study on wind turbines, etc and acceptability. Suggested we would probably find each local authority is funding their own studies.
· Barry James (SCC) reported that SCC will centrally control Rights of Way for MDC area.
· Sarah Jackson (AONB Manager) was given information from the beef and lamb executive to promote BBQ sites. They have web site for information on barbecue sites and play areas, etc. for the public. The AONB email update will give further information on this next week.
8. Dates of next meetings:
Not discussed. Since proposed for Thursday 1st July (venue to be confirmed)
