To receive apologies for absence

17.1    The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.

17.2    Apologies for absence had been received from Sarah Bury (CPRE), Hilary Claytonsmith (Town & Parish Council Rep), Heather Kidd (Shropshire Council), Bill Klemperer (Historic England), Leo Smith (Upper Onney Wildlife Group/Shropshire Ornithological Society), and Chris Turley (Telford & Wrekin Council)

The note of the meeting held on 14 November 2017 is attached for confirmation

18.1    The Committee Officer advised the meeting that Yvonne Holyoak had been omitted from the list of those present at the meeting. It was agreed that her name should be added.

18.2    RESOLVED:

            That subject to the above, the note of the meeting held on 14 November 2017 be agreed as a true record.

To receive an update on the feedback from Defra for Conservation Board submission. [Report to follow]

19.1    The meeting considered the report of the AONB Partnership Manager which updated members on progress with the request to form a Conservation Board.

19.2    The Chairman informed the meeting that he had been advised, that as there was to be a review of designated landscapes, which had been announced in the 25  year Environment Plan, it was unlikely that the request for Conservation Board status would be granted at this stage. He advised members that he and the AONB Partnership Manager, together with Phillip Dunne MP would be meeting with the DEFRA Minister on 21 March to discuss the matter further, and that he would report back to members after this meeting.

19.3    Dr Dormer thanked the Chairman and Officer for all the work that they had put in to preparing the submission. Mr Chancellor commented that this work would not be wasted as the work done to look at how the AONB is managed will guide the development of any other structure that may be considered.

19.4    The Chairman proposed that the Transition Board revert to its previous name of Management Board.  This was agreed.  The AONB Partnership Manager informed the meeting that the Management Board would need to meet as soon as possible, to consider other options.

19.5    The AONB Partnership Manager advised the meeting that it was proposed that a consultation process to look at the possible options would be carried out with stakeholders, including the Partnership, AONB staff and the trustees of the Shropshire Hills AONB Trust.

This paper updates Members on the AONB team work programme.

20.1    The meeting received the report of the AONB Partnership Manager which updated members on the

20.2    The AONB Partnership Manager advised members that in order to complete some parts of the Landscape Partnership Scheme, agreement had been reached with the HLF to extend some of the staff contracts for a short period and that work was ongoing to complete projects and develop legacy arrangements for some of the activities.

20.3    The AONB Partnership Manager reminded the meeting that a contract had been secured for Cath Landles to act as Area Facilitator for the Uplands Commons Project, working 10 days per month for 20 months.  He advised the meeting that Joy Howells, who was currently the Landscape Partnership Scheme Manager had been appointed as the National Project Manager for the Commons project and that she would be working on this out of the AONB Office in Craven Arms for 3.5 days per week.  He informed members that Joy would be working for the AONB Partnership for the remaining 1.5 days per week as Funding and Programmes Officer.

20.4    Mr Chancellor asked how Cath Landles’ appointment would impact on her other work especially the delivery of the John Muir Award work.  The AONB Partnership Manager informed him that work was ongoing to develop a Youth Project which would include the John Muir Award work and that potential funding for this was currently being considered.

20.5    The AONB Manager informed the meeting that a second application had been made to the HLF for a Resilient Heritage grant to support the funding of the Funding and Programmes Officer’s post, together with some consultancy work on business planning and development of income streams.

20.6    The Chairman thanked the AONB Manager and his team for the tremendous amount of work that they did.

This paper provides the 2018-19 budget and work programme which formed the basis of our funding submission to Defra at the end of January.  A request is also made for the first time for core funding contributions from organisations on the Partnership.

21.1    Members received the report of the AONB Partnership Manager which set the 2018 – 19 budget and Team Work Programme.

21.2    The AONB Partnership Manager reminded members that for a number of years the contribution of the two local authorities to the core budget fell below the 25% expected to match the DEFRA funding and that up to now the balance had been met from earned income, and that this need to achieve income had sometimes been at the expense of core activity.  He had advised the meeting that at its last meeting the Transition Board had agreed that financial contributions would be sought from member organisations.

21.3    In response to a query the AONB Manager advised Members that there was no suggested amount due to the great variety on size and type of organisation.  Following a request the AONB Partnership Manager agreed to write to all member organisations requesting funding.

21.4    The AONB Partnership Manager advised members that the Transition Board had discussed proposals to seek financial contributions from Parish Councils within the AONB.  Members made suggestions about the timing and nature of approaches to Parish Councils.

This paper invites nominations for a vacancy on the Transition Board and one on the Shropshire Hills AONB Trust.

22.1    The meeting considered the report of the AONB Manager which advised of vacancies for a member on the Transition Board and for a trustee on the Shropshire Hills AONB Trust.

22.2    The AONB Partnership Manager advised the meeting that due to increasing work commitments Janine Hayter had resigned as a Parish Council Representative on the Partnership and consequently as a member of the Transition Board and as a Partnership representative on the Shropshire Hills AONB Trust.  He asked members to contact him if they were interested in either or both of the vacancies.

22.3    Mr Chancellor suggested that as not all members were present an email should be sent to all members advising them of the vacancies.  It was agreed that this would be done.

22.4    The AONB Partnership Manager informed the meeting that he would be contacting the unsuccessful applicants for the Parish Council seats from last autumn to see if they would be interested in filling the vacancy for a town and parish council representative and if this was unsuccessful he would make need to make a new call to parish councils.

22.5    The Chairman paid tribute to the amount of work Janine had done during her time on the Partnership.

To receive a presentation on the state of the AONB with a workshop session on Plan priorities

23.1    The meeting received a presentation from the AONB Manager which gave an update on progress with the AONB Management Plan Review, set out some key statistics and outlined some of the priorities for the 2019 -24 Plan.

23.2    The meeting then held a workshop session on different aspects of the plan priorities.

[Report to follow]

24.1    Members considered the report of the AONB Partnership Manager provided an outline of the proposal that the National Association for AONBs (NAAONB) was developing to make to DEFRA for the involvement of AONB Partnerships in the government’s new post-Brexit environmental land management schemes.

24.2    The AONB Partnership Manager advised the meeting that the NAAONB had been in discussion with DEFRA about the potential for AONBs to influence, support and deliver some aspects of the new schemes.  He then outlined the proposals.

24.3    Members welcomed and supported the proposals and commented that it would be necessary to include sufficient in the Management Plan to cover the proposals.

Members are reminded that the next meeting of the Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership will be held on Tuesday 19 June 2018 at 9.30am (leading into the 60^th anniversary celebration event).

25.1    Members were reminded that the next meeting of the Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership would be held on 19 June 2018 at 9.30am