There were no declarations of interests by Members.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 15 July 2022 were approved as a correct record.

There was no urgent business.

To note any questions or to receive any statements, representations, deputations and petitions which relate to the published reports on Part A of the Agenda.

No members of the public had given notice to make representations at the meeting.

The Head of Finance introduced the report which requested the Committee to approve a programme of opting to tax specific Authority properties with a view to remaining within the annual de minimis VAT exemption (Section 33 calculation otherwise referred to as the Partial Exemption Calculation) of 5%.  It was noted that there were 3 principal disadvantages to opting tax a property and details of these were set out in the report.

Members queried the effect on the Authority’s current tenants at Aldern House and Officers responded to say that all leases included reference to the possibility of implementing VAT as a partial exemption so they were all aware.  The majority of current tenants were VAT registered so the impact on them would be minimal as they could reclaim it, for the few that weren’t Officers would consider if the Authority was able to absorb the cost for them.  It was noted that the Authority’s residential tenants would not be affected by these proposals.. Officers could ensure tenants were fully awareand given notice of any proposals to proceed to opt to tax.

The recommendation as set out in the report was moved and seconded, put to the vote and carried.

RESOLVED:

1.    To approve opting to tax properties owned by the Authority on a property by property basis.

2.    To delegate to the Head of Finance the schedule for which property is opted to tax to coincide with lease renewals in consultation with the Head of Law and Head of Asset Management.

The Interim Head of Asset Management introduced the report and the Corporate Property Support Officer was present to answer any questions.  The report sought approval to award the Millers Dale Station catering and visitor information point lease to Blueberry Café (Castleton) Ltd at a proposed rent of £40,101 per annum (total rent of £120,303 over the 3-year lease) for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2026.

In response to Members’ queries Officers stated that they were aware of the recycling issues on the site and were looking at improving them, they were also aware of problems with the car park pay machines and that this was due to poor broadband reception however, the broadband had now been changed and it was hoped this would improve the working of the machines.  Officers accepted Members request to encourage café staff to be able to give information to visitors and would work to try to progress this.

The recommendation as set out in the report was moved and seconded, put to the vote and carried.

RESOLVED:

To approve the proposal to proceed to grant a lease to Blueberry Café (Castleton) Ltd at an annual rent of £40,101 per annum (exclusive of VAT) payable quarterly in advance for a term of three years.

The Occupational Safety and Health Advisor introduced the report which requested approval of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Policy for 2023.  The Policy is reviewed annually to ensure it is up to date with both  the Authority organisation and our arrangements to deliver OSH within current legislation.

It was noted that the recent fire drill at Aldern House when Members were present had highlighted a problem with the security log on the main Reception door which had now been addressed.  The process had also been improved by arranging for the Customer and Business Support Team to have access to the data to action a roll call in the event of an emergency evacuation of Aldern House.

It was confirmed that the OSH Policy would be shared with all Members after the meeting.  It was noted that OSH Policy would be included in the new Member induction process and the provision of a training session for all Members was being considered by the Chair of the Authority and the Member Champion for Member Learning & Development.

The recommendation as set out in the report was moved and seconded, put to the vote and carried.

RESOLVED:

To approve the revised Occupational Safety and Health Policy (2023) as Authority policy from 20 January 2023.

Due to illness of the report author, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Head of Law introduced the report providing details of the role Members had taken in driving forward the Climate Change agenda with the Chair of Programmes and Resources Committee, who was also the Chair of the Climate Change Steering Group (‘the Steering Group’) and the Member Champion for Climate Change.

The report followed on from the approval of the programme of work for the Programmes and Resources Committee by Authority in July last year, where it was agreed to align the programmes for the Committee with the aims of the new National Park Management Plan 2023-28 (NPMP).  This was the first theme for the Committee and the report gave details of the NPMP climate change aim, the Authority Plan climate change objective, the Authority’s progress in responding to climate change since October 2021 and what this would mean for the future.

As a result of the work done by the Steering Group climate change was now embedded in the Authority’s policies and practices.  Therefore the report proposed recommending to the Authority that the Steering Group no longer be appointed to at the annual meeting in July.  The Steering Group would continue to meet until the end of March 2023 only.  The Chair of the Committee thanked all Officers and Members for their hard work and time.

Cllr McCloy, as Chair of the Authority and Chair of National Parks England, stated that all 10 English National Park Authorities were more or less at the same stage regarding  the development of a consistent carbon budget baseline for the National Parks which would allow identification of the biggest emitters in National Parks’ influence.  Further information on this initiative would be brought to a future meeting of the Programmes and Resources Committee..

It was meantime it was noted that how climate change will be monitored and reported to Members, moving forward was being considered.

The recommendation as set out in the report was moved and seconded, put to the vote and carried.

RESOLVED:

1.    To note the Peak District National Park Management Plan 2023-28 aim on climate change, progress in responding to climate change since October 2021 and what this means for the future.

2.    To recommend to the Authority that Members should not be appointed to the Member Climate Change Steering Group at the July 2023 Annual General Meeting reflecting that climate change is now fully embedded in the Authority Plan and National Park Management Plan 2023-2028.

The Interim Head of Asset Management introduced the report which gave details of the environmental performance data for the 2021/22 financial year (the ‘reporting period’) and progress towards the Authority’s goal of becoming zero carbon by 2050. The data related to the greenhouse gas emissions arising from the Authority’s operations and reflected the scope and methodology of reporting as established in the Authority’s Carbon Management Plan 2 (CMP2).

The Officer stated that with regard to Scope 1 and 3 emissions, referred to in paragraph 5 of the report, the Authority would need to consider its fleet vehicles and built assets.  Scope 3 emissions would improve as more vehicles were replaced by electric ones.  With regard to land emissions it was noted that EQM were gathering data on Authority owned land, excluding that let on long term leases such as the Eastern Moors, and that when the final report was received it would be shared with Members.

In response to Member queries regarding moorland restoration Officers stated that this work helped to reduce emissions and also aided flood prevention, water quality biodiversity and nature habitat recovery.

11.30 Ms Y Witter left the room.

The recommendations as set out in the report were moved and seconded, put to the vote and carried.

RESOLVED:

1.    To adopt the environmental performance data detailed in Appendix 1 of the report as the detail supporting the position on the Authority’s operational environmental performance over the 2020/21 reporting period.

2.    To note the data on emissions, sequestration and stored carbon resulting from the Authority’s land.

The Head of Law and Chair of the Due Diligence Panel (‘the Panel’) introduced the annual report of the Panel which gave details of items it had considered over the last 12 months and the review of the various reports highlighted at paragraph 6 in the report.

The Panel had considered and supported the development of three new relationships with organisations to work with the Moors for the Future Partnership and the wider Authority which it was hoped would be developed further and would include on-going partnership working and exchanges of skills.

Mr Berresford, the Member representative on the Panel, stated that the Panel followed a robust process and that it embodied good governance which he fully commended to Members.

The recommendations as set out in the report were moved and seconded, put to the vote and carried.

RESOLVED:

1.    To note the items considered by the Due Diligence Panel over the last 12 months, as set out in paragraph 9 of the report.

2.    To note that the Panel reviewed the financial register of sponsorships and donations, the in-kind register of sponsorships and donations and the staff/Member benefits register in May and October 2022.

Draft motion:

That the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of agenda item No 12 to avoid the disclosure of Exempt Information under S100 (A) (4) Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12 A, paragraph 3 ‘information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)’.

RESOLVED:

That the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of agenda item No 12 to avoid the disclosure of Exempt Information under S100 (A) (4) Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12 A, paragraph 3 ‘information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)’.