Lake District National Park Partnership

Meeting of the Lake District National Park Partnership Monday 18 May 2009 LDNPA Office, Murley Moss, Kendal

Partners Attendees Apologies

Lord Clark (Chairman) Steve Ratcliffe LDNPA Bob Sutcliffe LDNPA Mike Clarke WHS Richard Greenwood Cumbria Tourism Ian Stephens Stuart Pasley Natural England Chris Kaighin Natural England Keith Jones Forestry Commission Douglas Chalmbers CLA Martyn Staveley Cumbria Vision Roger Liddle Leslie Johnson Lakes Parish Council Brenda Gray SLDC Peter Ridgway David Sykes Haydn Spedding Cumbria Tourism Bill Jefferson Chairman LDNPA Richard Leafe Andrew Forsyth FoLD Helen Little NFU Judith Nelson English Heritage Environment Agency John Pinder Copeland Keith Hitchen Cumbria Action for Roger Roberts Communities Leonard Coulthard CCC (Environment) Marie Fallon The National Trust John Darlington GONW David Higham Elaine Howard

In attendance:

Catherine Courtney, Minutes

1 Welcome by Lord Clark

Lord Clark welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2 Minutes of previous meeting

The Minutes of the meeting held 19 February 2009 were agreed as a true record. LDNP Partnership 18 May 2009

3 Matters arising

4 Lakes Alive

Julie Tait from Kendal Arts International gave a presentation on ‘Lakes Alive’ and the ongoing development of this Cumbria wide cultural phenomenon.

Further information about the forthcoming events are available on the website:- http://www.lakesalive.org

5 Creating the Big Plan for the Lake District National Park

Part 2 – LDF Core Strategy

Steve Ratcliffe confirmed feedback and comments to the emerging policies were now available on line – www.lake-district.gov.uk/ldf. Please note comments are to be received by 5 June. This forms a further consultation exercise over and above the normal process.

BS stressed to the Partnership that all comments regarding policies need to be received by 5 June. There would be a formal consultation after the end of September 2009 but this would focus on soundness of plan, not policy detail.

How do we create an inspirational Core Strategy?

SR confirmed the visit by the Planning Inspectorate on 19 May. The LDNPA will be able to ask have we got the evidence base right? Can we be innovative? and when can we start using the new policy?

Action: SR to update the Partnership as soon as we received feedback from the visit.

Part 3 – The Actions

Bob Sutcliffe confirmed that Mike Clarke had contacted the various organisations and collated the various strategies and action plans. We would now ensure only most strategic and deliverable actions are included in the Big Plan. The next stage would be for the nominated co-ordinators to come together and recommend a single document in September. This would form part of the consultation with the LDF Core Strategy.

Keith Jones gave an update on the ‘Land Management and Farming’ sub group.

Action: The Terms of Reference and membership of the Group will be clarified. NFU are members. Other initiatives such as food and farming, Natural England’s work on landscape and the LDF sub areas should all be factored in.

2 LDNP Partnership 18 May 2009

Part 4 – Measuring the State of the Park

Stuart Pasley of Natural England reported that our key indicators are heading in the right direction. Any set of indicators are always developing, they are not the ‘be all’ or ‘end all’.

English Heritage suggested it would be ideal to see where investment has been made i.e scheduled monuments, places of worship.

Action: To follow up in future meetings.

6 General Updates

 A sustainable Transport Framework for the Lake District (Steve Ratcliffe) SR confirmed Phase 1 of the process was complete. The Steer Davis Gleave report had been commissioned and signed off. The purpose of this report was to establish the Lake District’s travel needs, to identify and give case study examples throughout the globe, to gage attitudes and opinions and to agree a consensus of opinion/a tentative solution to a sustainable transport framework.

Action: SR to forward a copy of the Executive Summary.

 Response to the Nuclear Consultation (Bill Jefferson) – WJ reported that Sellafield was the preferred site for obvious reasons, with Graystones being close enough to Sellafield to enlarge the site.

This created some discussion on how much the Partnership should become involved in the nuclear debate. Concerns were raised due to being outside the Park and where did we want to stand?

Action: To what degree did the Partnership become involved in this subject, to be discussed at the next meeting. All to send any comments on site for circulation to Bob Sutcliffe.

 Lakes for Living Conference (Bob Sutcliffe) – BS reminded the Partnership about the conference which John Pinder of the Environment Agency was heading in partnership with LDNPA. If anyone was interested in taking up any of the study tours to see the website http://www.lakesforliving.com/index.htm

 Lake District Economic Futures – NWDA Review (Steve Ratcliffe) – in early 2004 the NWDA commissioned a report on economic futures and their view on the Lake District economy. These recommendations formed a key element in the LDF. This document is to be reviewed to ascertain how we take forward the economy.

Action: Future Agenda item – SR to invite NWDA to attend the Partnership meeting with an update.

 Cumbria SRAP/Joint Investment Plan – Martyn Staveley confirmed Cumbria Vision were meeting regularly with their colleagues on eight 3 LDNP Partnership 18 May 2009

individual projects and this was on ongoing process. Cumbria Vision to report back at a later date.

 Internal Changes at Natural England – Chris Kaighin, gave a brief presentation regarding their strategic priorities.

Action: The Chairman felt this was a useful update and suggested maybe this was something other members of the Partnership could present i.e what they are doing, how they can influence the Partnership.

8 Any other business

9 Date of next meeting

September 2009 (date to be confirmed).