Agenda item

DEFRA Green Recovery Challenge Fund for England - Great North Bog Proposal: The Deep Peat Project

Minutes:

The Director of Conservation and Planning introduced the report which was to seek Members approval to accept the grant if the bid is successful from the DEFRA Green Recovery Fund for England.

 

The Science Programme Manager for the Moors for the Future Partnership then went into more detail of the report which would look at peat depth surveys over the whole of the Great North Bog Area, around 7000sq km in the north of the England. The report was for an expression of interest at this stage with works to hopefully start around December/January time  with work being completed by March 2022 if successful with the bid.

 

The Director of Conservation and Planning informed Members that there were risks that the Authority, if successful, with the bid needed to be mindful of

 

1)    Risk of working with other partnerships – The Peak District National Park Authority would be the responsible body but working with Yorkshire Peak Partnership and the North Pennines AONB Partnership.

2)    Corporate Overheads – Heritage Lottery are not prepared to cover the Corporate Overheads of the National Park Authority which we may have to meet ourselves if we cannot find another way of meeting that cost, which the Head of Programme Delivery for the Moors for the Project  is looking into.

 

Members were informed that the acceptance of the bid would be delegated to the Director of Conservation & Planning, the Head of Law and the Head of Finance, and only then if they are satisfied  with the arrangement would the bid be accepted.

 

The Chair reported that this would be an exciting partnership working but that it did come with risks that the National Park Authority needed to be mindful of regarding corporate overhead and budget constraints.

 

The recommendations as set out in the report were moved, seconded, voted on and carried

 

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Authority supports the proposed delegated function to accept (if the bid is successful) Funds from The Green Recovery Fund (National Lottery Heritage Fund) and enter into delivery arrangements with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and North Pennines AONB for the delivery of the project.

 

Specifically:

 

1.    That the Authority supports the delegated function for the Head of Programme Delivery to accept funds from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and other funders should the opportunity arise, to a maximum of £3 million, in consultation with Director of Conservation and Planning, Head of Finance and Head of Law for the delivery of the Deep Peat Project.

 

2.    That the Authority supports delegated function for the Head of Programme Delivery in consultation with Director of Conservation and Planning, Head of Finance and Head of Law to enter into arrangements with the other two Partnership leads, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and North Pennines AONB (Durham County Council), and, if necessary, tendered contracts to deliver works.

 

Supporting documents: