Agenda item

The Data, Strategy & Performance Officer and Strategy & Performance Manager were present to answer any questions from Members.

Members commended Officers on the work that had gone into the progress report, but given the much reduced Engagement Team and new administrations in Derbyshire County Council etc how is the Authority going to manage all this change?

The Officer confirmed that there have been a lot of changes and this would impact on how we work as an Authority and with our Partners through the National Park Management Plan (NPMP).  The Officer reported that the recent NPMP delivery group  discussed the challenges to delivery and that the group are very engaged in discussing how we address this as a partnership.

Members asked how the Authority tracked individual action points and aims that we have set ourselves, and whether we are actually going to achieve the higher level objectives and aims, and whether they should be put on the Risk Register in the short term, as there is clearly a risk that the Authority is not going to deliver the high level objectives.  The Officer reported that one of the things that had been found with the Risk Register was that it covers a combination of three different sets of risks: risk to the place (the National Park), Management Plan delivery risks and organisational risks.The Officers are looking at allocating time into this in the coming year to support better risk communication and management.

Members were concerned that the Management Plan report makes it appear that the Authority is comfortably delivering on all aspects of the plan.  The Government could review and decide that the Authority didn’t need any further resources, so not having the high level risks could prove funding was needed.  The CEO responded that the funding was at risk because we were not delivering and not because we are, and if we are honest about what we are not delivering on then why would the Government then put money into National Parks. Its about making the case and showing what we are delivering.

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

RESOLVED:

1.     The National Park Management Plan Progress Report 2024/25 is approved.

2.     The implementation of any required amendments to the Progress Report 2024/25 be delegated to the Head of Resources.