Agenda item

Authority Chair Update

Minutes:

The Chair reported the following items:

 

·         The Chair of the Authority paid tribute to Cllr Doug Birkinshaw who had recently passed away after serving as a Member of the Authority since 2012 and as Vice Chair of Planning Committee since 2014.  The Chair asked the meeting to pause for a moment as a mark of respect for Cllr Birkinshaw and also all those who had lost their lives and suffered as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

 

·         The Chair thanked the Chief Executive for her leadership through this difficult time and all Officers for their continued work through the Covid-19 pandemic.  It was noted that emergency procedures for Planning Committee had been invoked and it was noted that Chairs and Vice Chairs had regular updates with the Leadership Team of the Authority.  The Chair identified the following three key messages:

 

  1. The importance of National Parks as a National Asset for mental and physical health
  2. Respecting and protecting the communities
  3. Post Covid opportunities to make National Parks centre of environmental and economic recovery.