THURSDAY 18 OCTOBER 2001, 9.00AM Knights Hill Hotel, KINGS LYNN, NORFOLK  
Board Meetings

Breadcrumbs

Agenda for the 23rd Meeting of the Countryside Agency

THURSDAY 18 OCTOBER 2001, 9.00AM Knights Hill Hotel, KINGS LYNN, NORFOLK

1. Apologies for absence

2. Chairman to sign minutes of the meetings held on 20 September 2001

3. MATTERS ARISING REPORT 18 OCTOBER MEETING

This paper updates the Board on action taken as a result of decisions from previous Board meetings and progress made on those issues. It includes a report on the progress being made towards implementing Part I of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act, 2001 which was discussed by the Board in May.

4. Strategic approach to lottery work (AP01/38)

This paper considers the need to bring resources into the Countryside Agency in parallel with grant-in-aid, to meet corporate objectives and recognises that although the Agency has been successful at attracting lottery funds it has been a time consuming process. The paper suggests how the Agency could be more effective in attracting lottery funds to support its strategic priorities and Board members are invited to support a proposal for an influencing programme to help achieve this. 

5. National Park funding - advice to the Government (AP01/39)

This paper seeks Board approval for our advice to the Government on National Park funding priorities for 2002/03. The paper sets out  broad strategic advice  as well as specific recommendations which emerged from the bilateral meetings held with individual Parks.

6. The Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food (AP01/40)

(Late paper to follow)

This paper seeks Board approval for the Agency response to Sir Don Curry's policy commission on the future of farming and food. 

7. rural proofing: pre-budget submissions (ap01/41)

This paper recommends that the Agency works in partnership with other organisations on the pre-budget submission process in order to influence Her Majesty's Treasury to the benefit of rural areas. The Board are asked to advise on whether the Agency should allocate significant extra resources to provide detailed technical advice and whether the Agency should conduct a taxation study to inform this process. They are also invited to consider the list of taxation measures  in Annex 1 of the paper and to suggest others to add to the list. 

ITEMS FOR INFORMATION

8. Rural White paper - monitoring report (AP01/42)

This information paper reports on progress towards implementing Rural White paper targets during the four months 1 June to 30 September 2001. The report demonstrates that the Agency is on target to deliver the majority of these on time and where there has been some slippage, we will still meet our first year targets this financial year. 

9. Date and location of next meeting

The next meeting of the Countryside Agency will take place on Thursday 15 November 2001, John Dower House, Cheltenham.