Agenda item

The Chair welcomed Mrs Dianne Jeffrey, independent Chair of the National Park Management Plan Advisory Group.

Mrs Jeffrey explained the role of the Advisory Group in bringing together delivery partners to monitor what is happening. The 96 actions set had been divided into 5 signature programmes. There had been a 100% attendance at meetings which reflected the commitment and enthusiasm of the Group, which met three times per year.

Having viewed “Project Wild Thing” in April 2014, the Group decided to make the signature “Inspiring Generations” the theme of its annual conference in the summer of 2015. Following a workshop in October 2014 which was attended and addressed by the Duke of Devonshire, a number of pledges were made which the Group will follow up – for example, the National Trust had pledged to include 50 activities for 2015 at the Longshaw Visitor Centre, in order to stimulate interest in the outdoors.

A transport summit was proposed to take place in March 2015 in the context of cuts to transport funding. The Advisory Group would be exploring its potential to lead on advocacy and would meet the wider commercial community and local government partners to consider how to deliver a sustainable transport network for both residents and visitors.

Key achievements and outstanding issues were highlighted relating to each of the five signatures in turn, with a note that work had begun on developing a wider focus for number 4 “Community Led Planning”, to continue over the next two years.

Members welcomed these proposals and urged that community transport be included. It was noted that an opportunity now existed to develop flexible community services with possible transPeak links to Sheffield, Manchester and other large conurbations bordering the National Park. Members suggested that Patrick McLoughlin, Minister for Transport, and representatives of the Northern Powerhouse cities should be invited to the transport summit to consider the implications of the potential developments advocated by the Chancellor in his Autumn Statement.

Mrs Jeffrey thanked Authority officers for their helpful facilitation of Advisory Group meetings.

Members suggested that local universities would be useful partners with a significant interest in the Park. Mrs Jeffrey asked Officers to approach local universities with proposals for their involvement.

Members requested clearer and more specific emphases on cultural heritage issues, particularly assets, geo diversity and the earth sciences. More needed to be said in the Management Plan about the appreciation and understanding of cultural heritage assets. Mrs Jeffrey accepted this view and proposed that after the transport summit, the Advisory Group would add to its agenda the proposal to agree what cultural heritage means and divide up the areas to be examined. The membership of the Group would also be considered in terms of its cultural heritage knowledge base.

The recommendations were moved, seconded, voted upon and carried.

Cllr Mrs K Potter did not vote as she had left the meeting briefly during the debate.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the summary report of performance made on the NPMP from Spring 2013 to Autumn 2014 (as set out in Appendix a) be received and that the progress and actions to address underperformance be noted.

2.    That the recommended NPMP delivery plans from April 2015 to March 2016 (as set out in Appendix b) are agreed.

3.    That the amendments to the on-line NPMP (as set out in Appendix c) are accepted and that responsibility is delegated to the Chief Executive to oversee the amendments to the on-line NPMP, in line with the recommendations of the Advisory Group and in full consultation with the Chair of the NPMP Advisory Group.