MEETING OF THE COTSWOLDS CONSERVATION BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE HELD AT THE COTSWOLD HALL, NORTHLEACH THURSDAY 20 TH JANUARY 2011 Present: Chairman - Jeff West Ken Betteridge Jo Burgon Niel Curwen Liz Hodges Sue Hope Verena Hunt Richard Lloyd Carole Topple Apologies: Peter Doyle Liz Eyre (Vice-Chairman) Nick Holliday Also in Attendance: Mark Connelly Stephen Holley Martin Lane Simon Smith Reg Talbot Malcolm Watt Land Management Officer Committee Administrator (Cotswold District Council) Director Project Development & Business Planning Officer Finance Officer Planning Officer E 1.1 INTRODUCTIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS (i) The Chairman welcomed Liz Hodges to her first Meeting as a Member of the Executive Committee. Peter Doyle had also been elected to the Executive Committee at the AGM but Mr. Doyle had submitted apologies for this Meeting. (ii) The Chairman noted that Susie Moore and Lloyd Surgenor had not stood for election or been re-elected at the AGM and requested that the Minutes record the Committee s thanks to Ms Moore and Mr. Surgenor for their valuable contributions to the work of the Executive Committee for a number of years. The Executive Committee warnly endorsed these thanks. (iii) The Chairman also welcomed David Shelmerdine of CEAC, the Board s Head of Internal Audit. Mr. Shelmerdine had requested to present his Internal Audit Report for 2010/11 (Minute E 1.7 referred) - 1 -
E 1.2 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest. E 1.3 PUBLIC QUESTIONS No public questions had been received. E 1.4 MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING RESOLVED that, subject to the following amendment, the Minutes of the Meeting of the Executive Committee held on 25 th November 2010 be approved as a correct record: (a) Attendance Insert Sue Hope s name and Lloyd Surgenor s name to the list of Members present. (b) Minutes of the Last Meeting - Arising Thereon - European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Landscapes (E 8.4)(ii) Third paragraph, second line - delete the word the immediately before Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP (c) Cotswolds AONB Management Plan Review (E 8.9) Fourth paragraph, tenth line - amend whist to read whilst. (d) Cotswolds AONB Management Plan Review (E 8.9) Sixth paragraph, fifth line - after advance the ideas insert the words that had. E 1.5 MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING OF THE BOARD The Minutes of the Meeting of the Board held on 9 th December 2010 were received. Arising thereon: (i) Communications Strategy and Action Plan 2011-2013 (B 5.9) In response to a Member s question, Officers explained that they were yet to pursue the suggestion that the Board take over the photographic archive of Cotswold dovecots. (ii) Cotswolds and Forest of Dean DMO (B 5.14) In response to a Member s question, Officers explained that the matter of the Board s representation on the DMO was yet to be resolved. - 2 -
E 1.6 MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Board held on 9 th December 2010 were received. E 1.7 INTERNAL AUDIT REPORT 2010/11 Reg Talbot, the Finance Officer, and David Shelmerdine, the Head of Internal Audit, introduced a report following the completion of the internal audit work and the results of the review of internal audit for the year. Mr. Shelmerdine drew attention to the key findings in the Executive Summary of the Report and explained that, overall, he had found that the Board s systems of internal control were satisfactory. Also, the Board s Officers had already agreed to implement his ten recommendations. Mr. Shelmerdine amplified aspects of his Report in response to Members questions. Mr. Talbot explained that, in addition to the Report, the Executive Committee was being asked to note the updates to the Strategic Internal Audit Plan and to note the results of the review of Internal Audit. The Chairman explained that, in view of the Board not having an Audit Committee, he wished to assure Mr. Shelmerdine that he should feel confident in his ability to draw matters of concern to the attention of the Executive Committee. RESOLVED: (a) (b) (c) That the Internal Audit Report 2010/11 Executive Summary and Action Plan be noted; that the results of the review of internal audit be noted; and that the revised Strategic Audit Plan be approved. E 1.8 DRAFT RESULTS OF THE 2010 PENSION FUND VALUATION Mr. Talbot presented a Report providing the Committee with information on the expected outcome of the triennial actuarial review of the pension fund and seeking a decision on the level of contributions for 2011/12 2013/14. It was explained that the Actuary s most recent triennial review of the Board s pension fund was the second since it became a member of the Scheme in 2005. The first review in 2007 showed that the Board s fund was in surplus by 22,000, or 104% of what was required to meet its future liabilities. The Actuary was now in the final stages of the valuation process and his draft report had been circulated. It valued the Board s fund at 31 st March 2010 as in surplus by 107,000, or 110% of the required funding level. The Board remained one of the few members, if not the only member, of the Gloucestershire Local Government Pension Scheme to be in surplus. However, the Actuary had proposed a certified rate for the next three years of - 3 -
16.8%, arguing that this would maintain the surplus as a cushion against variations in future fund performance and help the Scheme return to a balanced funding position. Officers were of the opinion that the margin of surplus was unnecessarily high and that the fund held money that could be used for the Board s purposes. Discussions had indicated that, by spreading the surplus over the future working life of the current active membership (approximately seven years), the Board could reduce its proposed contribution rate to 11.7% (i.e. no change). Over this period, the Board s surplus should be reduced to zero. The triennial reviews in 2013 and 2016 would provide ample opportunity for the Board to monitor and adjust this position if necessary. The Executive Committee noted that contributions at 11.7% instead of 16.8% would make approximately 15,000 available towards the Board s operational activity in each of the next three years. RESOLVED that the rate of employer contribution to the Board s pension fund be agreed at 11.7% of pensionable pay for the next three years, commencing 1 st April 2011. E 1.9 BUSINESS PLAN 2010/13 - REVIEW FOR QUARTER 3 OF 2010/11 Simon Smith, the Project Development and Business Planning Officer, requested that the Executive Committee review the Board s progress against its Business Plan during Quarter 3 of the financial year 2010/11. It was explained that at Quarter 3 of each year the Board adopted a revised budget. The full year revised budget predicted a deficit of 11,919, which was 7,395 more than the original budgeted deficit of 4,524. However, this was 21,722 lower than the predicted deficit of 33,641 at Quarter 2. It was also explained that any unspent income from the Cotswolds Way, National Grid and the Countryside Fund was transferred into earmarked reserves at Quarter 4 to ensure that this money was spent only on these purposes. The impact of this part of the revised budget on the general fund was a drop of 13,094 to 101,339. Overall, it was Officers view that the Quarter 3 work programme update demonstrated very good overall progress. Particular highlights were published in the Boards e-updates. A lot of effort had been put into controlling costs and looking at ways of generating income across the Board s projects in response to the impact of the Comprehensive Spending Review. One example was the development of new websites themed around rural skills and Escape to the Cotswolds. These sites had the potential to both broaden participation and generate income. Another small example was the introduction of gift vouchers for the Rural Skills courses. RESOLVED that the Quarter 3 Review be noted and the revised budget be approved. - 4 -
E 1.10 BUSINESS PLAN 2011-14 Mr. Smith explained that comments were sought on the second draft of the Business Plan for 2011-14. It was noted that, at its Meeting held on 4 th November 2010, the Executive Committee had received the production schedule for the Business Plan for 2011-14. In line with this production schedule the second draft of the Business Plan ( Draft 2 ) had now been compiled to incorporate the outcome of the November consultation period. As well as a new version of the Work Programme Draft 2 now included an updated version of the main document. These had been circulated to partners on 23 rd December 2010 for a second consultation period with a deadline of Monday 31 st January 2011. Following receipt of a letter from Defra dated 21 st December 2010 it has been possible to produce a draft budget linked to this Business Plan. As well as the three years of the Business Plan, the revised budget for 2010/11 and the whole of the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) period had also been included for information. The following was AGREED: A comment was required to explain that the Board was seeking opportunities for new sources of income There should be more on Climate Change; it had only been included as an activity under Officer time Thanks were owed to Mr. Smith for his excellent work. RESOLVED: (a) (b) That the progress on the production of the Business Plan for 2011/14 be noted; and that further comments be invited for submission before the deadline of 31 st January 2011. E 1.11 COTSWOLDS AONB MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW Malcolm Watt, the Planning Officer, presented a report with an amended timetable for the review of the Management Plan and setting out issues for consideration, including by the Board s Sub Committees. Mr. Watt explained the reasoning behind the recommendation that the production of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) be undertaken in-house and this was AGREED. It was also AGREED that consideration would be given to merging the Access workshop with the workshop for Tourism and Recreation. - 5 -
RESOLVED: (a) (b) (c) That the revised timetable for the review be agreed; that the issues report be noted; and that the Sub-Committees be requested to consider the issues identified with respect to their remits. E 1.12 DRAFT RESPONSE TO THE NATIONAL PARK GOVERNANCE REVIEW CONSULTATION Mr. Lane explained that Defra was consulting on a review of the governance arrangements for National Park Authorities. The draft comments circulated within the report were AGREED. It was understood that the Chilterns AONB Board would probably submit similar comments. In response to a Member s suggestion, it was AGREED that Mr. Lane be encouraged to add some views resulting from his Winston Churchill Memorial Fellowship tour of protected landscapes in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand early in 2010 (Minute B 2.14 of Meeting of the Board held 25 th March 2010 referred). RESOLVED that, subject to the amendments referred to above, the draft response to Defra be agreed. E 1.13 PROTECTED LANDSCAPES CONFERENCES IN 2011 Mr. Lane invited expressions of interest in attending Protected Landscape conferences in 2011. The Europarc Federation Conference was to be held from 21 st - 25 th September 2011 in the Swabian Alb Biosphere Reserve, Bad Urach, Germany, with the title Quality Counts, Benefits for Nature and People It was noted that the National Association for AONBs (NAAONB) Conference was to be held from 5 th 7 th July 2011 at Penryn, Cornwall and would have the title Unlocking the value of localism - Volunteering and the Third Sector in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Chairman suggested that, given the Board s current financial situation Members should apply a degree of self-denial before expressing an interest and, perhaps, volunteer at least part of the cost of attending. In connection with this, the Executive Committee AGREED that, the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens should be invited to send a representative to the NAAONB Conference - with the expense to be met by the Board. It was noted that the Association of National Park Authorities (ANPA) was not holding Conference in 2011. - 6 -
RESOLVED: (a) that Members of the Executive Committee advise the Director of their interest in attending Protected Landscape conferences in 2011; and (b) that the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens be invited to send a representative to the NAAONB Conference. E 1.14 REVIEW OF THE COTSWOLD ACCESS CONFERENCE Mark Connelly, the Land Management Officer, reminded the Executive Committee that, in 2007, it had resolved to establish an Access Forum for one year and then review it. Subsequently, two Access Conferences had been held and a review was now due. Mr. Connelly explained the similarities and differences between the two Conferences; both had covered barriers to access but only the second had addressed what access actually is. Both had been attended by around 65-70 people and there had been no problem in finding speakers; Adam Henson had spoken at the 2010 Conference. Both had been done fairly cheaply at around 650. Mr. Connelly also explained that the Conserving and Managing Sub- Committee had undertaken an initial review of the Conferences and agreed that further Conferences should be held only if there was a need, not simply to fill a diary commitment. The Sub-Committee had also concluded that: If those attending viewed the Conferences only as a means of gathering information, the Conferences were not achieving the desired result The Conferences took a considerable amount of time and Officer resource to organise which might be employed more fruitfully If the Conferences were to continue, it might be useful for one to be held in an urban area, perhaps Gloucester, with the intention of promoting Access to a new audience. If so, the event could be tied in with the My Countryside project and, ideally, with the Enjoying and Appreciating Sub- Committee taking the organisational lead. The Executive Committee AGREED that the Conferences held to date had been worthwhile and had justified their modest cost. With regard to the need for a future Conference, the present cuts to Local Authority budgets were expected to have a great impact on the highways function and it might therefore be appropriate for any subsequent Conference to address the Rights of Way implications of those cuts in the second half of 2011/12. RESOLVED: (a) That the principle of hosting the Cotswold Access Conference be retained; and - 7 -
(b) that the Conserving and Managing Sub-Committee be requested to consider holding a third Access Conference in 2012, or earlier, if there was a clear subject and justification for a Conference to be held; (b) that the Conserving and Managing Sub-Committee and the Enjoying and Appreciating Sub-Committee be requested to consider holding a third Access Conference in 2012, or earlier, if there was a clear subject and justification for a Conference to be held. E 1.13 REPORTS FROM SUB-COMMITTEES AND THE NATIONAL TRAIL WORKING GROUP The Chairmen of the Sub-Committees and the Cotswold Way National Trail Working Group were invited to spend no more than five minutes each informing the Executive Committee of the recent activities of their respective Sub-Committees and Working Groups and reviewing planned/forthcoming activities. (i) Conserving and Managing Sub-Committee Richard Lloyd, the Chairman of the Sub-Committee, reminded the Executive Committee that, at the last Meeting of the Board, he had reported on the Plantlife bid for Heritage Lottery Funding for a project under the name of Saving our Magnificent Meadows. The Board would be a delivery partner on a limestone grassland element. The Board had heard last week that the preapplication stage had been successful and Mr. Smith would now prepare a more detailed stage one application for the Board s component. Mr. Lloyd explained that, with some help from Messrs. Connelly, Smith and Watt, he had been working on responses to two important consultations a European Commission consultation on changes to the Common Agricultural Policy and a Defra consultation on Biodiversity Offsetting. These responses would form the responses from the National Association for AONBs. The Farming Forum would be held on either 22 nd or 23 rd March 2011 at the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester (subsequently confirmed as 22 nd March). Discussions were in hand with likely speakers. The Sub-Committee was scheduled to meet on 10 th March 2011. (ii) Enjoying and Appreciating Sub-Committee Jo Burgon, the Chairman of the Sub-Committee, explained that the Sub- Committee was scheduled to meet on 8 th February 2011. At that meeting it would clarify its work programme for the remainder of the year. Preparations were in hand for a visit from the assessor for the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism application, who was also the lead officer for the Arnside AONB. - 8 -
(iii) Grants Sub-Committee The Executive Committee noted a written report from Nick Holliday, the Chairman of the Sub-Committee; which he had sent in his absence. (iv) Living and Working Sub-Committee Carole Topple, the Chairman of the Sub-Committee, reported that it would next meet on 1 st February 2011. A long Agenda was in preparation, with many casework items. (v) Cotswold Way National Trail Working Group Mr. Lane explained that in previous years the Executive Committee had appointed one of its number to sit on the Working Group and be its Chairman. However, there was general agreement that the work of the Group fell within the remit of the Enjoying and Appreciating Sub-Committee. An Officer-only working group would continue to operate as necessary and would report via the sub committee. Consequently, there was no longer a requirement for the Executive Committee to appoint one of its members to the Working Group. E 8.15 DRAFT AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE The Executive Committee received a list of items for the Agenda for its next Meeting, scheduled to be held on Thursday 17 th February 2011. The list was AGREED, subject to the addition of an item on the differences between the Board and National Parks. E 8.16 CONSIDERATION OF THE DATE FOR THE APRIL MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Mr. Lane requested that the Executive Committee consider whether its Meeting currently scheduled to be held on 28 th April 2011 should be moved due to the implications of (a) the combined Local Government elections and Referendum on Voting Reform to be held on Thursday 5 th May and (b) the late date for Easter in conjunction with two Bank Holidays. 28 th April was envisaged as being a particular challenge for the Local Authority Members of the Executive Committee. The prospect of moving the date of the meeting forward a week was not convenient for other members of the committee. The prospect of cancelling the committee potentially created too much business for the May meeting, given that the committee considered the details of the draft Statement of Accounts at this time. It was AGREED that the Director would consult the Local Authority Members to determine whether they would have difficulty in attending on 28 th April; thereby risking the Meeting not being quorate. E 8.17 SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS 2011 The Executive Committee noted a schedule of Meetings for the Board in 2011. - 9 -
E 1.19 CASEWORK INFORMATION ITEM The Executive Committee noted that the Board had submitted further objections to the planning application for a windfarm proposed for construction in Berkeley Vale. E 1.20 OTHER BUSINESS - SUCH OTHER BUSINESS WHICH, IN THE OPINION OF THE CHAIRMAN, IS URGENT There was no urgent business. The Meeting commenced at 10.02 a.m. and closed at 12.52 p.m. Chairman - 10 -