Breadcrumbs
Agenda - 39th Meeting of the Countryside Agency
1. Apologies for absence
2. Chairman to sign minutes of meeting held 30 September 2003
3. Chief Executive’s report and matters arising (39kb word)
This paper updates the Board on activity within each programme area, any actions taken as a result of decisions from previous Board meetings and progress made on those issues. An oral progress report will be provided on the implementation of the Rural Delivery Review.
4. Corporate Plan (AP03/38)
The £98m Corporate Plan was presenated to the Board in September. Defra have now responded to this. The Board is asked to consider a response to the balance of areas identified in Defra's letter which invites the Board to reconsider their proirities; and to consider further areas where work might be reduced in the current financial climate.
5. Corporate Governance – Risk Management Issues (AP03/39) (41kb word)
The Audit and Risk Management Committee has met in March and October 2003. The Board is asked to note the report on the work of the Committee during 2003, to agree the Business Risk Management Action Plan for 2004 and to agree the role and membership of the Committee for 2004, including a shift to wholly non-executive membership from 31 December 2003.
6. Future Direction for Rural Transport (AP03/40) (52kb word)
The 2000 Rural White Paper extended the Rural Transport Partnership (RTP) scheme until March 2004 and set targets for partnerships to cover all rural areas and the creation of 500 projects. To date more than 760 projects have been approved. The Board is asked to approve the implementation of a succession strategy for the RTP scheme, mainstreaming its lessons and moving towards a clearer research and demonstration role over the next 2-3 years. This would require reallocating some RTP funds from April 2005 to a central fund and support for experimental projects, reallocating staff effort from RTP project work and creation of a network for existing RTPs to enable best practice to be shared.
The draft Government Planning Policy Statement “Sustainable Development in Rural Areas” will be the first in a series of new slimmed down national PPSs. The Agency is currently responding to a number of other consultation draft PPS at an officer level. Board members are asked to approve the response to draft Government Planning Policy Statement 7 (PPS7).
In September 2003 the Board agreed to consult on their proposal to make a variation order to include 1.45 square kilometers of land at Arundel in the South Downs National Park. After considering the responses to the consultation exercise the Board is asked to agree to make a variation order to add land at Arundel.
9. Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund – the Agency’s Future Role (AP03/43) (43kb word)
The Agency has been giving grants under the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF) for a two year period which terminates on 31 March 2004. Defra is currently reviewing the scheme. The Board is asked to agree to extend the Agency’s role in delivering the rural communities strand of the grant aid programme funded by ALSF beyond the current end date of 31 March 2004, should an appropriate opportunity be offered to the Agency.
10. Date and location of next meeting
The next meeting of the Countryside Agency will be on 12 February 2004, John Dower House, Cheltenham.
