To receive apologies for absence

27.1    The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.  He advised that there would be an additional presentation on the Stepping Stones project which was held over from the last meeting.

27.2    Apologies for absence were received from Caroline Bedell (CLA), Gill Binks (Caring for God’s Acre), Alison Caffyn (Individual Member), Lee Chapman (Shropshire Hills Tourism), Hilary Claytonsmith (Town & Parish Council Rep), Rhona Goddard (Butterfly Conservation), Joy Greenall (Land, Life & Livelihoods), Cllr Robert Tindall (Shropshire Council), Michael Whithouse (Land, life & Livelihoods) and John Woolmer (Individual Member).

The note of the meeting held on 22 March 2016 is attached for confirmation

28.1    The note of the meeting held on 22 March 2016 had been circulated.

28.2    Mr L Smith asked that with regard to minute 22.3 it be noted that he had agreed to circulate details of an appeal that he was organising and confirmed that he had done this after the meeting.

Report to Follow

29.1    Members considered the report of the AONB Partnership Manager which set out options for future structures for the Shropshire Hills AONB and the recommendations of the Management Board.  All Members present confirmed that in addition to the report that had received copies of the Chairman’s letter to the Director of Commissioning and the Director of Commissioning‘s response.

29.2    The Local Commissioning Manager emphasised that Shropshire Council had always valued the work that the AONB Partnership did.  He referred to the report and stated that the Council had always been open to other ways of achieving the necessary savings and informed the meeting that, subject to receiving some clarification, the Council was happy to consider the proposal put forward by the Management Board.

29.3    The Chief Executive of the National Association of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (NAAONB) commented that the Association had been working to reduce the reliance of AONBs on DEFRA funding.  He went on to say that the general direction of travel for AONBs was to a position of greater independence.

29.4    The Chair advised members that the Management Board had agreed that Shropshire Council should recharge the AONB for support costs in the 2016/17 budget which were currently covered by the Council, a figure of £31,290.

29.5    Ms Hayter asked whether there would be a transition period for the move to the new structure.  The Chair advised that the Management Board would be looking for a two year transition period.

29.6    In response to a question, the AONB Partnership Manager confirmed that the Management Plan would still need to be adopted by the Councils.  Mrs Bury commented it was important that the Councils continued to recognise the importance of the AONB and the Management Plan.

29.7    Ms Hayter asked whether the 40 day redundancy consultation on the AONB Partnership Manager’s post had been halted.  The Chair informed the meeting that the consultation was still active but that he was meeting with representatives of Shropshire Council later in the week and would be pressing for the suspension of the consultation period during the negotiations towards the new structure.

29.8    Following further discussion around the potential structure of the new organisation it was RESOLVED:

That the Partnership endorse the Management Board’s recommendations for a move towards an independent AONB organisation, as either an independent charity or Conservation Board or similar structure, and to support the terms of the Chair’s potential agreement with Shropshire Council.

30.1    The Meeting received a presentation from Peter Carty on the proposed Stepping Stones Project, a landscape scale conservation initiative for the Long Mynd – Stiperstones area.

Members are reminded that the next scheduled meeting of the AONB Partnership will be held on Tuesday 14 June 2016 followed by the Annual Tour

31.1    Members were reminded that the next meeting of the AONB Partnership would be held on Tuesday 14 June 2016 and that it would be followed by the Annual Tour.