Agenda item

The Nature Recovery Officer presented the report which was to seek approval from Members to adopt the Peak District Nature Recovery Plan 2024.  The Plan was introduced at the last Member Forum, when Members had an opportunity for discussion on its content and purpose.

Members thanked Officers on what was an interesting and engaging document,  but were concerned whether we had the resources with our partners to deliver this, and asked who the partners are, were they the same ones as the Management Plan partners, and would there be targets attached to the annual review? 

The Officer reported that the Steering Group was made up of representatives from the Forestry Commission, Environment Agency, Natural England, Woodland Trust, National Farmers Union, National Trust, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust, Chatsworth Estate, Farmer Representatives and the Peak District National Park Authority, and they will look at whether this was the right steering group going forward and whether the membership was right for delivery of the plan going forward, but the whole steering group was very keen to be involved in the next stages.

Members queried how other Local Authority’s fitted into this? The Officer responded that they had been working closely with the Local Authority’s across the National Park attending meetings and feeding into the Nature Recovery Plan to guide what their strategies are saying.

There was some concern from Members that the report was not clear and difficult to read, so was difficult to work through as it was and asked whether a paper copy could be made available.  The Officer informed Members that the Nature Recovery Plan was in the same format as the National Park Management Plan so it was only available online, but that a summary document will be available when the Nature Recovery Plan was launched.

The Officer reported that alongside the Nature Recovery Plan delivery, there will be a reporting template to assess the progress and that a summary with an annual update report will be presented to the Programmes & Resources Committee.

The recommendations as set out in the report was proposed, seconded, voted on and carried.

RESOLVED:

1.    To adopt the Peak District Nature Recovery Plan.

2.    Approval for any material updates or changes delegated to the Head of Landscape & Engagement, in consultation with the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Authority.