Breadcrumbs
Agenda for the 45th Meeting of the Countryside Agency
1. Apologies for absence and declaration of interests
2. Chairman to sign the minutes of meeting held 21 September 2004
3. Chief Executive’s report and matters arising (52kb 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.
4. Implementing the Rural Strategy AP04/38 (62kb word)
Significant progress has been made since the last Board meeting on the implementation of the Rural Strategy. Board members need to record any formal decisions in the light of their away day on 14 October and the seminar to be held on 11 November. The Board is asked to approve the output(s) on future governance arrangements; to note the progress updates on new countryside agency, integrated agency, Landscape, Access and Recreation (confederation), core and Evaluating, Disseminating and Mainstreaming (EDM); to note the oral update on the modernising rural delivery Legislation project; and to note the oral report on EFRA Select Committee.
5. Quarter 2 Report July-September 2004 AP04/39 (55kb word)
This is the Quarter2 report on progress towards the Corporate Plan 2003/04-2005/06 at the end of September 2004. It includes a forecast full-year outturn at Q2. The Board is asked to approve the report and note the main achievements; to note that at the half year there was a grant-in-aid expenditure of £41.6m; to note that the Agency anticipates the slowing of delivery programmes in the socio-economic area as a result of the uncertain future for some staff; to note that the EDM team forecasts a spend of £750k on project management and evaluation and dissemination activities; to note that the Q2 forecast includes work for the Quality Parish Investment, Research into Rural Views and Regional Rural Events; and to note a Q2 forecast outturn in line with the grant-in-aid budget of £92.5m.
6. Exit Strategies AP04/40 (66kb word)
In September the Board asked for a report on progress with the transfer of programmes to other bodies. The Board is asked to note that certain Agency functions are being transferred or mainstreamed to other organisations as a result of Modernising Rural Delivery (MRD). Exit strategies and or action plans have been put in place for most programmes to guide management of change. There are some common issues emerging concerned with information management and sharing of good practice, capture and use of staff expertise and maintaining capacity in partner organisations.
7. Countryside Agency submission of views on the future of local government AP04/41 (217kb word)
In June 2004 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) began widespread consultations on ideas for the future of local government over the next 10 years. This is a significant consultation and the Agency will want to ensure that the needs of rural communities and rural areas are fully and properly reflected in the consultation and in its outcomes. This paper asks for the Board’s approval to the draft submission setting out the views from the Countryside Agency to the ODPM’s consultation; and seeks the Board’s agreement that this submission should be circulated to partners and stakeholder bodies.
8. Future Reporting of Rural Proofing, Rural Services Standard and Rural Trends AP04/42 (54kb word)
The Agency currently produces three separate annual reports on rural proofing, the Rural Services Standard (RSS) and trends in rural services and housing. The Agency also publishes the annual State of the Countryside report (SOCR) and the rural services survey. Board members are asked to approve the future annual rural proofing report to focus mainly on policy areas that have been the subject of new countryside agency studies or evaluations; to approve the annual publication date to move from June to September; to agree that the Regional Rural Affairs Forums are asked to comment on returns to enhance the independent validation; and to agree that in future the RSS and Rural Trends reports are subsumed within the rural proofing and SOCR.
9. Developing Proposals for NCA Thematic Studies and Inquiries AP04/43 (80kb word)
The Board had already agreed that thematic studies and inquiries were a priority for the new countryside agency and this is reflected in the 2005-08 Corporate Plan. The Board is asked to agree the scope and working model for thematic studies and inquiries; to agree the process for drawing up a programme of study and inquiry topics; and to comment on possible topics for a first thematic study and inquiry, which the new countryside agency could announce around 1 April 2005.
10. Public Health, the Countryside and Green Spaces – LAR’s Future Role AP04/44 (79kb word)
The Agency’s work to enhance health and well-being provides an important opportunity to reinforce pursuit of broad public benefit as a central purpose and vision for the integrated agency. The Agency’s main activity in the field of public health is currently the Walking the Way to Health Initiative (WHI), which has exceeded expectations and won the prestigious Industry Innovators Award from the International Council on Active Ageing, Canada. The Board is asked to approve the establishment of a facilitating role for Landscape, Access and Recreation Division focused on improving the public’s health through contact with the countryside and green spaces, supported later by the delivery of appropriate externally funded initiatives; and to approve the mainstreaming of WHI beyond its lottery funded life.
11. AOB
12. Date and location of next meeting
The next meeting of the Countryside Agency will be on 16 December 2004, John Dower House, Cheltenham.
