Breadcrumbs
Agenda for the 56th Meeting of the Countryside Agency
1. Apologies for absence and declaration of interests.
2. Chairman to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 15 December 2005.
3. Matters arising from the minutes of the meeting held on 15 December 2005.
4. Chief Executive’s report and matters arising (65kb word)
This paper covers December 2005 and January 2006 and updates the Board on activities within each programme area, any actions taken as a result of decisions from previous Board meetings and progress made on those issues.
5. Governance until vesting
John Varley to give a verbal report on recent meeting with the National Audit Office and potential requirement for additional taskgroup.
6. Rural Advocate’s report (27kb word)
This is the first Rural Advocate’s report to the Board and covers works since October 2005.
annex 1 (32kb word)
annex 2 (27kb word)
annex 3 (28kb word)
annex 4 (24kb word)
annex 5 (32kb word)
7. Implementing the Rural Strategy AP06/01 (56kb word)
This paper updates the Board on the activities of the CRC, NE (Confederation), MRD programme and NERC Bill.
8. Status report on the Countryside Agency’s Dissolution Plan AP06/02 (53kb word)
This paper updates the Board on the current position on dissolution activity and the timetable for the orderly cessation of the Agency.
9. Financial report for Quarter 3 AP06/03 (86kb word)
This paper asks the Board to note the summary position for Quarter3 2005/06 and the outcomes achieved for each Division at the end of December 2005 and to endorse the current forecast outturn position delivering: the full 5% reduction in Grant-in-Aid, a further underspend of £1.6m and no further spend of capital budget.
10. Government consultation paper on planning gain – development tax AP06/04 (57kb word)
This paper asks the Board To agree a response to the consultation paper emphasising the importance of rural communities benefiting directly from any Planning-gain Supplement (PGS) levied. The paper also recommends that a response should go from the CRC division, as the NE confederation are making a separate submission.
11. Review of the role of the Rural Advocate and draft letter to the Prime Minister AP06/05 (68kb word)
This paper asks the Board to note the outcome of the review of the Rural Advocate programme and to endorse its conclusions.
12. Impact on the CA’s designation process of the Meyrick Judgement AP06/06
Closed paper – Environmental Information Regulations Section 12(5)(d): information intended for future publication.
This paper asks the Board to consider whether, if sustained, what are the Agency’s best options for mitigating the impact of the Meyrick judgement. Also whether, if Defra is granted leave to appeal against the Meyrick judgement, whether the Agency should request permission to be heard independently as an interested party?
13. Any other business
14. Date of next meeting
The next meeting of the Countryside Agency’s Board will be on Thursday, 16 March 2006 at Portland House, London
