Agenda item

The report, which detailed the proposal to extend peatland restoration works in the Dark Peak and South Pennines, working through a grant delivered from the climate for Nature Fund, was presented by the Head of the Moors for the Future Partnership (MFFP) and the MFFP Programme Manager.

Officers explained that the priority order of sites was decided based on a variety of factors including staff capacity, and coordination with the Partnership’s other works.  The works proposed in this report were ambitious but Officers were confident that they could be done within the timescale set.  DEFRA were supportive of the scale of the proposals.  The Partnership’s work covers land in the jurisdiction and ownership of many councils and other bodies, and this enables an approach which is more coordinated than when all these organisations work separately.   Whether these Authorities could make a greater contribution to the work of the Partnership was currently being investigated.

Officers also confirmed that bidding for funds can be a difficult and time consuming process, so additional income sources have been found, e.g.  the Partnership also had funding agreements with water companies who invest in restoration work because of carbon and biodiversity benefits, which improve drinking water provision.

Cllr Woods left the meeting at 12.15 and Ms Witter left at 12.20.

A request was made by the CEO for Members to encourage their constituent Authorities to look at nature based solutions to issues such as carbon, health and flood defences and how they might financially support this important peatland restoration work.

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

RESOLVED:

1. To support the application to the Nature for Climate Fund Peatland Capital Grant scheme for a Discovery grant and further applications up to a ceiling of £8m of funding for the project to operate to the end of the 2025 – 2026 financial year.

 2. Specifically:

• Approval of acceptance of up to £935,000 from the Nature for Climate Fund in respect of the initial Discovery grant bid with acceptance of the grant offer delegated to the Head of Moors for the Future Partnership in consultation with Head of Law and Chief Finance Officer
• Support of further Discovery and Restoration bids to the Nature for Climate Fund and acceptance of funding from the fund, and match funding (if successful) up to a ceiling of £8 million (including the initial Discovery grant bid) to operate further projects within the scheme to the end of financial year 2025/26 (i.e. 31 March 2026)
• Acceptance of Discovery and Restoration grant offers from the Nature for Climate Fund from Defra delegated to the Head of Moors for the Future Partnership in consultation with the Head of Law and Chief Finance Officer
• Acceptance of new partnering agreements to deliver the projects within the fund delegated to the Head of Moors for the Future Partnership in consultation with the Head of Law and Chief Finance Officer
• The Authority may, subject to compliance with its procurement standing orders, enter into contracts in order to spend funds and deliver the required outcomes of the grant agreements