To receive apologies for absence

44.1    The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting

 

44.2    Apologies for absence were received from Gill Binks (Caring for Gods Acre), Sarah Bury (CPRE), Pete Carty / Patrick Edwards (National Trust), George Chancellor (Individual Member), Veronica Cossons (Shropshire Wildlife Trust), Clare Fildes (Shropshire Council), Joy Greenall / Rob Harris (Land Life and Livelihoods), Mark Latham (Telford & Wrekin Council), Hazel McDowell (Natural England), Cllr Cecilia Motley (Shropshire Council), Martin Pye (Parish Council Rep), Leo Smith (SOS/UOWG), Donna Tavernor (Forestry Commission) and Cllr Chris Turley (Telford & Wrekin Council)

The note of the meeting held on 4 December 2018 is attached for confirmation

45.1    The note of minutes of the meeting held on the 4 December 2018 had been circulated.

 

45.2    Resolved:

 

That the minutes of the meeting of the Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership held on 4 December 2018 be agreed as a true record.

This paper summarises the responses to the public consultation on the draft new AONB

Management Plan for 2019-24, and sets out the expected timetable for the Plan’s approval by

the two local authorities.

46.1    The meeting received the report of the AONB Partnership Manager which summarised the responses to the public consultation on the draft AONB Management Plan and set out the expected timetable for approval of the Plan by the two local authorities.

 

46.2    The AONB Manager commented that relatively few responses to the consultation had been received, partially due to most stakeholders being involved in the preparation of the Plan, and partially due to the Christmas period.  He informed the meeting that following receipt of their comments a constructive meeting had been held with representatives of the NFU.  Several members expressed the view that the Partnership should endeavour to get more farmers involve with its work.

 

46.3    The AONB Manager advised the meeting that he had amended the draft plan to take account of comments and agreed to circulate the amended version of the plan to the Partnership.

 

46.4    The AONB Manager raised the problem of organised motor bike events which were becoming a problem in certain areas of the AONB.  He advised members that such events could be held under permitted development rights which allowed a limited number of such events in any one year as long as certain criteria were met.  Several members commented that the biggest issues with such events were noise and damage to the ground.

 

46.5    In response to a question the AONB Partnership Manager advised that permitted rights could be removed by the imposition of an ‘Article 4 Direction’ which would require planning permission to be sought for the holding of such events.  It was agreed that this should be investigated further.

 

46.6    The Chair suggested that the AONB Partnership should contact other organisations to develop a joint approach to the problem.

 

Report to Follow

47.1    Members received the report of the AONB Partnership Manager which advised of amendments to the Terms of Reference agreed at the last meeting.

 

47.2    The AONB Partnership Manager advised the meeting that following the last meeting a number of comments and queries had been received from Telford & Wrekin Council, and following discussion between the legal departments at both councils the following amendments were proposed: -

·         The number of seats allocated to different membership categories on the Partnership is to remain specified, and the maximum number of seats is proposed to be reduced from 45 to 36. It is proposed that reductions could be made by means of currently vacant seats and through the membership review due in the autumn of 2019.

·         The procedures document becomes an Appendix to the Partnership’s Terms of Reference and will therefore be approved by the two Council Cabinets. (The Strategy & Performance Committee is a sub-committee of the Partnership, and its Terms of Reference are approved by the Partnership itself).

·         Sub-committees of the Partnership including the Strategy & Performance Committee would not have the ability to co-opt members.

·         The term of office for the Chair and Vice Chairs, and for appointments to the Partnership and the Strategy & Performance Committee is to remain at two years.

 

47.3    Ms Caffyn queried the reduction in the number of seats on the Partnership and commented that just because an organisation did not attend Partnership meeting did not mean they did not make a valid contribution to the work of the Partnership.

47.4    After further discussion it was resolved:

·         That the AONB Partnership endorse the new Terms of Reference to go forward for formal approval by the two Councils, and

·         That the AONB Partnership approve the new Terms of Reference for the Strategy & Performance Committee.

 

 

This paper provides a brief update on AONB team work programme activity since the last

meeting.

48.1    Members received the report of the AONB Partnership Manager which provided them with a brief update on the AONB team work programme activity.

 

48.2    The AONB Partnership Manager took the meeting though the report highlighting the following: -

 

·      Work was being completed on the River Clun Recovery Project which was coming to the end of the 4-year project.

·      A new project was being developed with the Severn Rivers Trust to provide advice to farmers regarding the water environment.  This was being funded by the Natural England/Environment Agency “Water Environment Grant”.

·      The Shuttle Bus service would commence on 4 May and had been extended to run to Picklescott twice a day.  Additional funding of £1,000 had been secured from the National Trust which was welcome but additional funding would be needed in order to continue the service in future years.

·      Work is ongoing with the Uplands Commons project.  The delivery phase application will be submitted in October and work is ongoing to gain the required match funding.

·      Following the visit of Julian Glover, a meeting had been held with the Leader of Shropshire Council and the Portfolio Holder for Culture and Leisure together with the Chief Executive and Director of Place and the CEO of the NAAONB.

 

48.3    The Chair thanked the team for all the work that they did.

.

Consultants are currently developing a guidance document for the AONB based on the

Landscape Character Assessment. The purpose and value of this will be explained in this

paper and through a brief presentation at the meeting.

49.1    Members received the report of the AONB Partnership Manager which set out proposals for the development of a guidance document for the AONB based on the Landscape Character Assessment.

 

49.2    The AONB Partnership Manager advised members that the Shropshire Landscape Character Assessment had been developed in the early 2000’s and provided a description of 27 ‘Landscape Types’ across Shropshire, of which 16 were found in the AONB.  He informed the meeting that a contract had been let, and work was ongoing which would result in the production of a guidance document and possibly web-based interactive mapping.

 

49.3    The AONB Partnership Manager informed members that a stakeholder workshop would be held at the AONB offices on 14 March and asked that if any members wished to attend they should let him know.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

49.1    Members received the report of the AONB Partnership manager which set out proposals for the development of a guidance document for the AONB based on the Landscape Character Assessment.

 

49.2    The AONB Partnership Manager advised members that the Shropshire Landscape Character Assessment had been developed in the early 2000’s and provided a description of 27 ‘Landscape Types’ across Shropshire of which 16 were found in the AONB.  He informed the meeting that a contract had been let, and work was ongoing which would result in the production of an electronic guidance document and possibly web based interactive mapping.

 

49.3    The AONB Partnership Manager informed members that a stakeholder workshop would be held at the AONB offices on 14 March and asked that if any members wished to attend they should let him know.

Julian Glover visited the Shropshire Hills AONB on 17th – 18th January and met a wide variety

of people. This paper summarises what happened in the visit and the agenda item provides

an opportunity for discussion.

50.1    Members received the report of the AONB Partnership manager which updated them on the visit of Julian Glover on the 17 & 18 January.

 

50.2    The AONB Partnership Manager gave a roundup of the meetings and discussions that had been held during the visits.

 

50.3    Members who had attended the visit commented that overall, they felt that the events had been worthwhile.

 

50.4    The AONB Manager reminded members that the Review Panel’s final report was expected to be published in the Autumn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

50.1    Members received the report of the AONB Partnership manager which updated them on the visit of Julian Glover on the 17 & 18 January.

 

50.2    The AONB Partnership Manager gave a roundup of the meetings and discussions that had been held during the visits.

 

50.3    Members who had attended the visit commented that overall, they felt that the events had been worthwhile.

 

50.4    The AONB Manager reminded members that the final report would be published in the Autumn.

This paper updates Partnership members on progress with the capacity building project for the AONB Partnership and Shropshire Hills AONB Trust, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Resilient Heritage programme.

51.1    The meeting received the report of the AONB Partnership Manager which gave an update on progress with the Resilient Heritage Capacity Building Project.

 

51.2    The AONB Partnership Manager reminded the meeting that the project was a joint project between the Partnership and the AONB Trust which was funded by a grant from HLF of £38,100.  He advised that the following work had been carried out: -

·      A contract had been let to Marches Sustainable Development to support the development of business plans for the Partnership and the Trust and workshops were planned with the Partnership and the Trustees of the AONB Trust to develop these.

·      Preparatory work had been done toward developing a skills audit which would lead to the identification of training needs.

·      Work had been carried out on areas of income generation and advice was being sought on other potential sources of income generation.

 

51.3    The Chair thanked the AONB Partnership Manager for his update.

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Members are asked to note that future meetings of the Partnership will be held on:

 

Tuesday 11 June 2019 and

Tuesday 8 October 2019

52.1    Members were advised that the next meeting of the AONB Partnership would be held on 11 June 2019 at 9.30am