Your Application for the Local Nature Partnership Fund This form consists of 12 questions. Please consider the word limits expressed with each question when responding.

1. What is the name of the partnership/organisation(s) applying for funding? (50 words)

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust on behalf of the Environmental Alliance, Borough Council and .

The development of the proposal will be carried out by a partnership steering group including Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council.

Contact for this application is Dr Gary Mantle, Director, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, [email protected]

2. What geographic area do your organisations cover? Please supply a map or relevant postcodes. (100 words)

The geographical coverage of the proposed LNP is the administrative boundaries of Wiltshire and Swindon.

3. What outcomes and outputs will you achieve (for 2011/12) in line with the fund’s objectives? (500 words)

Fund Objective 1: To enable existing environmental partnerships who aspire to become LNPs to broaden their agenda, membership and vision.

The creation of the Wiltshire and Swindon Nature Partnership (WSNP) will bring together a number of existing bodies to create a single strategic group better able to provide direction, set priorities and engage a broader range of organisations. The WSNP will replace the Wiltshire Environmental Alliance within the Wiltshire ‘Family of Partnerships’, reporting to the Wiltshire Co-ordinating Group whose remit is the achievement of the Wiltshire Community Plan, Swindon’s Sustainable Community Strategy: A Shared Vision for Swindon and to the Public Service Board. The WSNP is intended to also replace the Wiltshire and Swindon Biodiversity Partnerships and the existing separate committees for County Wildlife Sites and the Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre.

The new WSNP will provide a clearer focus to the Wiltshire Environmental Alliance and enable the other groups to embrace a broader vision. These bodies already have a strong base and reputation but we wish to consolidate the activity of each of these into one LNP to prevent duplication of effort, promote efficiency and create a single vision for Wiltshire and Swindon. It will make it easier to engage with the emerging Local Enterprise Partnership for Wiltshire and Swindon.

In Swindon, the group addressing the environmental block of the Local Area Agreement has ceased to meet and the proposed WSNP will help fill this gap.

Outcomes

• Broad based LNP operating at the same level as other key decision-making bodies in Wiltshire and Swindon • A Wiltshire and Swindon wide shared vision for a functional ecological network

Outputs

Agreed Terms of Reference

• LNP Development Workshops held to agree LNP representation (with representatives from existing Wiltshire and Swindon Biodiversity Forums, Environmental Alliance and Swindon Strategic Partnership) and other terms of reference, including clear governance arrangements, reporting structures and links into Wiltshire and Swindon family of partnerships

• Meetings with Local Enterprise Partnership(s) to secure representation on the LNP and agree arrangements for ongoing engagement

Evidence base

• Meetings to discuss and agree the data needs for the LNP including identifying data gaps, plans to resource the collection of these and analysis and interpretation work going forward, the future content of the State of the Environment Report and possible ecosystem assessment for Wiltshire and Swindon

Environment Plan

• Meetings held to discuss and agree a high level vision for Wiltshire and Swindon and a three year Wiltshire and Swindon LNP Strategic Plan

• Start production of outcome focused delivery plan/framework outlining contribution of partners and mechanisms for engaging all stakeholders. The plan to identify the range of place based, technical, and thematic delivery groups/partnerships required and include methods for monitoring and evaluating success/progress towards achieving the vision

Funding

• Agree short and medium term (3-5 years) sustainable funding for this/these posts and additional activity required i.e. securing data where gaps identified

4. How much money are you bidding for? (Most bids will be in the region of £20,000, however added value cases will be considered for amounts up to £50,000) (100 words)

£15,000 as contribution towards the costs of employing a WSNP Manager for six months (including salary, NI, management, office and travel costs) to coordinate the establishment of the LNP as per milestones identified in question 5.

£5,000 towards workshop costs (venue hire, travel, subsistence)

£5,000 towards the costs of producing promotional materials where appropriate including the production of WSNP Strategic Plan and design, set up and maintenance of WSNP website.

Total: £25,000

We would expect most of the funding to spent and claimed by 31st March 2012 but the remainder would certainly be claimed by June 2012.

5. Please indicate your key milestones and timeline for delivery (800 words)

Dates Milestone July – 30th September Consider with partners potential Nature Improvement Area 2011 application and progress August/Sept 2011 Meetings with key funders/stakeholders to agree the scope and level of new post/s required to provide coordinating function for this work and establishment of a Steering Group to oversee progress towards a WSNP Sept / Oct 2011 Confirm budget and project plan with partners and recruit Wiltshire and Swindon NP Manager Oct / Nov 2011 Establish list of parties interested in LNP membership from existing Biodiversity Groupings and Wiltshire and Swindon Environmental Groupings as well as broader membership needs including Local Enterprise Partnerships and community groups

Identify and establish communication links with emerging LNPs locally and/or cross-boundary and those in adjacent/cross boundary political administrations

Preparation for First LNP Development Workshop November 2011 First LNP Development Workshop:

Agree LNP boundary and discuss vision, aims, objectives, membership, Terms of Reference, governance arrangements, reporting structures and links into Wiltshire and Swindon family of partnerships and key policy frameworks

Consider steps needed to produce a Wiltshire and Swindon LNP Three Year Strategic Plan

Consider appropriate/relevant range of place based, technical, and thematic delivery groups needed

Discuss medium term (3-5 years) sustainable funding for this work

Consider establishing website, promotional materials (if agreed this work ongoing to March 2011)

November/December Write up and circulate documentation on issues discussed at First 2011 LNP Development Workshop

Preparation for Second LNP Development Workshop January/February 2012 Second LNP Development Workshop: Confirmation of LNP boundary, vision, aims, objectives, membership, Terms of Reference, governance arrangements and reporting structures

Progress Wiltshire and Swindon LNP Three Year Strategic Plan

Consider steps needed to produce an outcome focused Environment delivery plan/framework outlining contribution of partners and mechanisms for engaging all stakeholders and including methods for monitoring and evaluating success/progress towards achieving the vision/plan

Consider data needs for the LNP including identifying data gaps, plans to resource the collection of these and analysis and interpretation work going forward

Consider the future content of the State of the Environment Report and possible ecosystem assessment for Wiltshire and Swindon

Produce outline resource management plan for future funding of LNP, which lists resource contributions from members and others

March 2012 Wiltshire and Swindon LNP Three Year Strategic Plan written, published, uploaded to website, disseminated and publicised

March 2012 Launch event for the new Wiltshire and Swindon NP

Significant progress in producing Environment delivery plan/framework

Confirmation of resource management plan, including confirmation of future financing and retention Wiltshire and Swindon NP Manager post

6. As a partnership, how do you plan to become self-sustaining? (500 words)

The key funders of the existing Biodiversity Partnerships have indicated a willingness to fund LNP coordination because of the strategic value of this work in terms of helping deliver their own policy agendas. We are conscious though that funding for the work of the Biodiversity Partnerships was precarious at times with no medium term certainty about funding. The issue of funding will therefore be discussed at a very early stage with a view to agreeing a resource management plan.

7. How will you evaluate the work? (500 words)

The work to be undertaken to March 2012 will be evaluated against the milestones outlined in Question 5, with the key deliverables being the establishment of the LNP and the development, publication and dissemination of the Wiltshire and Swindon LNP Three Year Strategic Plan and potentially a website.

Beyond April 2012, the Environment delivery plan/framework will be evaluated against the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and with clear timeframes) targets it will contain. The plan will be a living document, with progress against actions reported by members to the Wiltshire and Swindon NP Manager who will be responsible for maintaining an updated version of the Plan.

The Plan will be underpinned by the Wiltshire and Swindon State of the Environment Report. Alongside the annual publication of the State of the Environment report will be a report on progress in achieving the WSNP Environment Plan targets and highlight future priority areas though an iterative process.

8. Are you or any of your constituent members potentially interested in the Nature Improvement Area competition? (200 words)

Yes, the WSNP Environment Plan will map out the potential NIA’s across Wiltshire and Swindon as well as those that cross administrative boundaries. We are aware of the proposed ‘Big Chalk’ and the ‘Upper Thames Headwaters’ NIA’s and are entirely supportive of these. Ultimately we see a comprehensive network of NIA’s and other key wildlife sites that together ‘Make Space for Nature’ (Lawton Review) and form an integrated network of functioning ecosystems.

9. Are you or any of your constituent members potentially interested in the Biodiversity Offsets pilot? (200 words)

Yes. A meeting in December 2010 between Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s Director Dr Gary Mantle, Professor David Hill and Rob Gillespie of The Environment Bank and Richard Benyon, Minister for the Natural Environment and Fisheries considered a pilot in the Upper Thames Headwaters area. Since then, a Steering Group has been established and a consultative Mapping and Priorities Workshop was held in January 2011. This considered setting the boundary for the pilot and also the exercise to start developing a list of potential receptor sites and opportunity areas for biodiversity offsets.

Attendees at the consultative meeting included Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Wiltshire Council, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, The Environment Bank, RSPB, Oxfordshire Records Centre, Natural England, Gloucestershire County Council, FWAG, Forestry Commission, Environment Agency, Society and Cotswold District Council.

Discussions have been held with Wiltshire Council, Swindon Borough Council, Gloucestershire County Council, Vale of the White Horse District Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Cotswolds District Council and Cotswold Water Park Joint Committee to further the development of the Biodiversity Offsets Pilot for the Upper Thames Headwater.

10. How will you engage with key sectors and communities on your plans? Please define which organisations and individuals will be involved. (500 words)

The proposed WSNP will consolidate a number of existing partnership initiatives which already engage with a wide range of organisations and individuals from key sectors and communities and these are listed under Appendix I at the end of this document. A number of discussions and meetings have taken place with many of these stakeholders but we are also planning to send out a simple letter explaining LNPs and the proposed WSNP to all existing members in August. Two key aspects of the LNP Development Workshops we intend to hold will be i) identifying broader membership needs and taking action to ensure there is as wide a representation as possible and ii) considering appropriate mechanisms for engaging all stakeholders, including methods for monitoring and evaluating progress towards achieving the WSNP’s vision/plan.

Specifically though, it has already been noted that links with business need to be strengthened and here the WEA for instance agreed at a recent meeting that representatives of the business sector should be encouraged to engage with them such as the North, South and Mid Wilts Economic Partnerships. Wiltshire and Swindon local authorities have just been successful in a joint bid for Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) status and the LEP will represent over 26,000 businesses and plans to help create 10,000 new jobs and safeguard a further 8,000 by 2015. The WSNP will aim to support and encourage businesses involved in ecosystem services and benefits and also work to develop the green economy and tourism. Here, the State of the Environment Report will provide underpinning knowledge/evidence base of the contribution ecosystem services make to the local economy.

Grassroots engagement will be improved by identifying and adopting best practice methods for engaging with whole communities, particularly the four key groups identified nationally as being more at risk of being excluded from participating in natural heritage activities. These groups are young people, people on low income, people with disabilities and minority ethnic communities. Here we would look to develop community forums and consider how the WSNP could help deliver Green Infrastructure aspects of neighbourhood plans.

11. Please describe how you will use the funding to create/broaden your agenda, membership and vision to better reflect those of a Local Nature Partnership (1,000 words)

Introduction

In the local authority areas of Wiltshire and Swindon separate environmental groupings and initiatives are well established. During meetings over the past year these groupings increasingly recognised that delivery of the Lawton Review recommendations was not possible under existing arrangements. The need for a more strategic approach led by a single grouping was seen as key and this thinking anticipated the announcement of Local Nature Partnerships (LNP) in the White Paper. Funding is required to coordinate the rationalisation of existing initiatives and broaden the partnership base to create a LNP which will be:

1. A strategic partnership operating at the same level as other key decision-making bodies in Wiltshire and Swindon

2. Able to produce a Wiltshire and Swindon-wide vision for a functional ecological network and a Strategic Plan/Environment Delivery Plan

3. An 'umbrella' bringing together place based, technical, and thematic delivery groups/partnerships and representing their interests and views to key decision- making bodies in Wiltshire and Swindon. This might be achieved through an annual Forum.

The funding need

Dispersed Leadership In Wiltshire and Swindon, environmental leadership has been provided to varying degrees by a number of different organisations, forums and individuals, including for example separate Wiltshire and Swindon Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) Forums/Partnerships, the Wiltshire Environmental Alliance (WEA), Swindon Strategic Partnership, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and various project specific steering/advisory groups. This dispersed leadership has not allowed for a strategic overview of environmental issues, the creation of a high level vision, nor an overarching environment plan - one common agenda based on a sound evidence base. In terms of structures/governance the current arrangements are inefficient and confusing having evolved incrementally over time rather than being part of a clear plan and in some respects the current situation reflects a lack of strategic leadership.

Lack of alignment Much of the environmental activity on the ground is undertaken in isolation from other initiatives and linkages are not being made. Here, the BAP process, with a Biodiversity Officer coordinating separate BAPs for Wiltshire and Swindon with technical support through various habitat/species working groups has seen individual project success but there has been limited alignment with other environmental initiatives. The Wildlife Sites system works well but is overseen by a separate Steering Group serving both Wiltshire and Swindon and again is not well integrated with other initiatives particularly delivery of ecological networks.

A major plus in the county has seen Wiltshire and Swindon organisations playing a central role in the Thames Headwaters Conservation Credits pilot scheme being developed with organisations in the neighbouring counties of Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire but again this is not as yet linked into other initiatives.

Engaging other policy areas/stakeholders To date, various environmental initiatives have focused in the main on Biodiversity delivery but there has also been an increasing recognition of the need to be holistic about environmental issues and integrate with other policy areas. Here for instance there is need for greater integration with the Wiltshire Environmental Alliance remit which also focuses on climate change, green infrastructure, waste, water/air quality, landscape, access to nature/public rights of way, reductions in greenhouse gases and community engagement with this agenda. There has though been some success on the ground with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust working closely with Wiltshire and Swindon Councils to deliver health/well being programmes, waste awareness programmes and job creation through the previous government’s Future Jobs Fund scheme. There is though a need to develop understanding of the concept of natural capital/value through a local ecosystems assessment and embed this into other policy areas.

Evidence base The Wiltshire and Swindon Biological Record Centre (WSBRC) has been under resourced for several years and its focus has therefore been limited to the collection and storage of data rather than data analysis, interpretation and opportunity mapping to provide the underpinning evidence base for environmental action. Again this area of activity is overseen by a separate Steering Group and outputs have not been sufficiently well aligned to support the delivery of ecological networks.

Significant progress has been made regarding a broader environmental evidence base with the near completion of a State of the Environment Report for Wiltshire and Swindon. The draft report highlights priorities for action across a range of metrics and has informed the production of the Environment component of Wiltshire Council area based Joint Strategic Assessments. Key data gaps still exist however and the need to source these and provide greater data analysis/interpretation means there is currently no “single truth” on the state of the environment for Wiltshire and Swindon. Another need here is to improve data requirements related to the work of the Local Enterprise Partnerships and delivery of the Localism agenda. This evidence base should identify priorities and inform core strategies and support the production of an overarching environment plan.

NIA development The need for landscape scale delivery has long been accepted in Wiltshire and Swindon work but there has been confusion with regard to how best to achieve this through what are often seen as competing spatial delivery zones which include Integrated Biodiversity Delivery Areas, Biodiversity Delivery Areas, Ecological Restoration Zones and Living Landscapes. The LNP will need to review and rationalise these areas, including project work already in progress in order to produce a Wiltshire and Swindon-wide vision for a functional ecological network that includes the identification and promotion of Nature Improvement Areas.

Summary

A number of separate initiatives in Wiltshire and Swindon have progressed well but transition to LNP status requires the issues identified above to be addressed. Funding will be used to achieve the following:

• A single body providing a consolidated, more strategic approach to the delivery of integrated social, environmental and economic outcomes for people and wildlife • Agreement on and delivery of a comprehensive evidence base to identify priorities for action and underpin all activity • An overarching environment plan which prioritises action and targets resources • A road map to creating a functional ecological network across Wiltshire and Swindon which includes the identification and promotion of Nature Improvement Areas

12. Please describe how your proposal will create greater fairness and equality of opportunity (500 words)

Our proposal will create greater fairness and equality of opportunity in three principal ways:

1. Up to date Environmental Intelligence base: the work already undertaken to produce a State of the Environment Report for Wiltshire and Swindon will be developed further to ensure that the data it contains is current and in a format accessible to all. This will provide greater transparency and ensure that all stakeholders are provided with the relevant evidence they need to better understand the health of the environment and the individual and collective performance of public, private and voluntary sector bodies in its protection and enhancement. A current example of how this is working is the use of this evidence base to inform the environment component of Wiltshire Community Area level Joint Strategic Assessments which will be published later in the year. The information these will contain will allow local communities to better understand the state of their local environment and so be better equipped to comment on plans and policy agendas.

2. Stakeholder Engagement: The proposed LNP Development Workshops will consider comprehensive representation and also methods for ensuring fair and equal opportunity for all stakeholders. Here it has already been noted that better engagement with business is required and this will be developed through contact with the emerging Local Enterprise Partnership(s). There will also be increased focus on engaging with community/grassroots organisations. Here although Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has been very successful in engaging with local communities it has recognised that more work can be done in this area. The WEA has similarly noted that it is difficult for the Wiltshire World Changers Network to represent communities and have a two way flow of information with what is an informal network. It is also challenging for community representatives to engage at a strategic level if they do not have a strategic overview of community issues. These issues will be addressed with consideration given to establishing an electoral college to ‘appoint’ representatives from bodies such as Wiltshire World Changers Network and other community based groups.

3. Communication: The WSNP will develop an agreed approach to communications to ensure that its messages, aims and outputs are fairly and equally promoted. This will therefore include a variety of media from face to face workshops and website development with printed promotional materials targeted to specific audiences if required e.g. to children, ethnic minority groups.

Please send completed applications to [email protected]. Appendix 1 Current membership of the proposed WSNP’s existing forums

Wiltshire Environmental Alliance Membership

Natural England Hills UK Environment Agency Wiltshire Waste Joint Venture Wiltshire Biodiversity Partnership Wiltshire World Changers Network Wiltshire Churches Together Wessex Water Wiltshire College Wiltshire NHS/PCT Wiltshire Council

The Wiltshire Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) Steering Group

The Steering Group guides the work of the Wiltshire BAP and is made up of the following organisations:

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Natural England Wiltshire County Council Wiltshire and Swindon Biological Records Centre Cotswold Water Park Society Biodiversity South West Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group

The Wiltshire BAP Partnership

The Wiltshire BAP Partnership is a wider grouping of implementation organisations delivering targets and actions in the BAP and consists of:

All the members of the Wiltshire BAP Steering Group Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Plantlife Defence Estates DSTL (Porton Down) Wiltshire Ornithological Society Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Salisbury District Council Butterfly Conservation Forestry Commission Forest Enterprise Johns Associates Wiltshire Mammal Group Wiltshire Fisheries Association National Trust Wilts and Berks Canal Trust British Waterways Action for the River Kennet Black Sheep Environmental Management Mouchel Parkman Great Bustard Group Lindsay Carrington - Independent Ecologist Wessex Water Environment Agency County Recorders Game Conservancy Trust

The Wiltshire BAP Forum

The Forum is wider again, containing many organisations who are actively involved, but who don't have actions or targets in the BAP. It is also a mechanism for further information provision and includes members who wish to find out more, but who are not necessarily directly involved. The Forum is made up of all of those organisations on the Partnership and Steering Group, and also:

British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) Great Western Community Forest RWE Group Gaiger Brothers The Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society The New Forest National Park Authority Center Parcs Holiday Park Ringway Wiltshire Botanical Society Local MPs Local Parish Councils NMSI Wroughton (the Science Museum) Council for the Protection of Rural England National Farmers Union

The Swindon Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) Steering G

The Steering Group guides the work of the Swindon BAP and is made up of the following organisations:

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Natural England Swindon Borough Council British Trust for Conservation Volunteers Swindon Ranger Service Seven Fields Conservation Group Great Western Community Forest Environment Agency Wiltshire and Swindon Biological Records Centre

The organisations below are part of a wider informal partnership, which either have actions or provided advice or input into the production of the Swindon BAP:

Butterfly Conservation Civic Trust Council for the Protection of Rural England DPDS Flowers and Butterflies (FaB) Forestry Commission Friends of the Earth North Wilts RSPB North Wessex Area of Outstanding National Beauty NPower (RWE Innogy) Richard Jefferies Society Rodbourne Green Residents Association RSPB Seven Fields Conservation Group Swindon Beekeepers Swindon Chamber of Commerce Swindon Rangers Swindon Tenant Farmers Swindon Wildlife Group Thames Water Utilities The Lydiard Park Project Wilts and Berks Canal Group Wiltshire Ornithological Society Woodland Trust